pathophysiology Frank Charrom [FC] is a 54-year-old man with a history of chronic heavy alcohol use. He has frequent bouts of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding for which he has been hospitalized on six...

pathophysiology

Frank Charrom [FC] is a 54-year-old man with a history of chronic heavy alcohol use. He has frequent bouts of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding for which he has been hospitalized on six separate occasions over the past 5 years. He continues to drink and exhibits common manifestations of alcoholic cirrhosis. He was recently hit by a car and hospitalized for a broken leg. He appeared to be under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident and had a blood alcohol level of 1.8. FC’s family reports his mental functioning has deteriorated significantly over the past few months.

Why is FC at particular risk for GI bleeding?