Objective To investigate the clinical value of early endoscopic intervention in diagnosis and treatment of acute nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (ANVUGIB). Methods A retrospective analysis was performed of 150 senile patients with ANVUGIB who were intervened by early endoscopy or selective endoscopy from Janurary 2015 to September 2015. The causes of ANVUGIB were analyzed. The diagnosis rates, success rates of hemostasis, rates of rebleeding, surgery, hemostatic time, blood transfusion volume, hospitalization time, hospitalization cost were compared in early endoscopy group and selective endoscopy group. The quality of life was compared between the two groups by NHP after the patients left hospital for three months. Results Peptic ulcer, gastric cancer, acute hemor-rhagic gastritis were the three major causes of ANVUGIB. The diagnosis rate and successful hemostasis rates of early endoscopy group were significantly higher than that in selective endoscopy group ( < 0.05). The rates of rebleeding and surgery were significantly lower, the blood transfusion volume was reduced, hospitalization time were shorten, and hospitalization cost were lower in early endoscopy group ( < 0.05). The quality of life of early endoscopy group was statistically higher than that in selective endoscopy group ( < 0.05). Conclusion Early endoscopic intervention is safe, effective and identify hemorrhage cause fast in diagnosis and treatment in senile patients with ANVUGIB. It is worthy of widespread promoting.