USF-COM
Department
of Family Medicine
Patient Education Information on...
Index of
Patient Education Topics
What is an Anemia ?
In order to be healthy, the tissues
and organs in your body require a certain amount of oxygen. Anemia occurs
when your body is deprived of this oxygen because the number of red blood
cells, (which are composed of an essential protein called hemoglobin, and
are the carriers of oxygen in our body) is either decreased or dysfunctional.
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What are the Symptoms of anemia ?
If you are only mildly anemic, you may be tired all the time, feel weak
or faint, or have general feeling of malaise. When you begin to feel slightly
or occasionally out of breath, your lips look bluish, or your skin, nails,
eyelid linings or palm creases are pale, you are probably moderately anemic.
Severe or chronic anemia usually is occurring when, in addition to the
other symptoms, you become dizzy, your heart is beating rapidly, or you
are frequently out of breath.
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What causes anemia ?
There are over 400 different forms of anemia that have been identified.
Some are very common and may be extremely rare. Anemia can be divided into
3 categories; nutritional or diet related, early acquired anemia, or inherited
(genetic) anemia.
NUTRITIONAL OR DIET RELATED ANEMIA, the most common form
of anemia worldwide, occurs when the body loses too much of a required
nutrient because of chronic blood loss. Also, nutritional anemia occurs
if the body does not take in enough folic acid or Vitamin B12, resulting
in folic acid deficiency anemia and pernicious anemia respectively.
ACQUIRED ANEMIAS are caused by exposure to a virus, toxins,
chemicals or drugs. these anemias occur because the body is not allowed
to make healthy red blood cells. Examples of acquired anemias include Aplastic
Anemia and Acquired Hemolytic Anemia.
The last category of anemia is INHERITED ANEMIA. These
anemias are genetic (you are born with it) because one or both of your
parents had the condition. This condition can prevent the body from making
red blood cells, or make them abnormal by a less than the normal amount.
Congenital (born with) Hemolytic Anemia, Sickle Cell Anemia and Thalassemia
are all types of inherited anemias.
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How is anemia diagnosed ?
Diagnosis is accomplished by taking a blood sample, observing the shape
or amount of the red blood cells, and determining if the anemia is a nutritional,
inherited or acquired form.
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What Treatment options are available for
anemia ?
Different forms of anemia require different treatment. If you have a nutritional
or diet related anemia, the best form of treatment is simply by making
changes in your diet to incorporate these nutrients or by taking vitamin
supplements such as iron and folic acid tablets, or Vitamin B12 injections.
Surgery may be the only solution in severe cases of chronic blood loss.
In many forms of acquired or inherited anemia, the only treatment is regular
transfusion of red blood cells or hormone injections that speed up RBC
production.
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What are the side effects of the treatment?
When being treated for iron deficiency anemia, it is important to get iron
supplements made from gluconate because supplements made from ferrous sulfates
can upset the stomach and cause digestive problems. Also, iron can be very
toxic in large amounts, leading to nutritional imbalances, digestive problems,
abdominal pain or even death, especially in children. So it is very important
to take the correct amount of iron supplementation.
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What lifestyle modifications are need
when dealing with anemia?
When being treated for iron deficiency anemia, it is important to get iron
supplements made from gluconate because supplements made from ferrous sulfates
can upset the stomach and cause digestive problems. Also, iron can be very
toxic in large amounts, leading to nutritional imbalances, digestive problems,
abdominal pain or even death, especially in children. So it is very important
to take the correct amount of iron supplementation.
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What are the complications of anemia
?
If anemia is caused by chronic blood loss from a bleeding malignancy, failure
to note this diagnosis could lead to spread of the malignancy. If treatments
such as vitamin supplementation or blood transfusions are not done, the
anemia will worsen, resulting in increasing weakness or even death.