Objective: to determine the associated risk factors with upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) and mortality in subjects with peptic ulcer. Methods: a total of 345 subjects with peptic ulcer, < 60 years of age, were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. Subjects were allocated into one of two groups in accordance with the presence of UGIB. A logistic regression model, adjusted by age and sex, was used to compute the relationship between the risk factors and both UGIB and mortality. Results: smoking (OR = 2.6, CI 95 % = 1.2-8.7), alcohol consumption (OR = 4.8, CI 95 % = 1.4-10.5), and previous history of UGIB (OR = 1.8, CI 95 % = 1.1-9.7) were strongly and independently associated with UGIB; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR = 1.9, CI 95 % = 1.2-11.4), and high blood pressure (OR = 1.4, CI 95 % = 1.1- 7.5) were associated with mortality in UGIB. Conclusions: the associated risk factors with UGIB in patients with peptic ulcer were: age lower than 60 years; smoking; history of UGIB; and alcohol consumption. The chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and high blood pressure were associated with mortality in UGIB.