Anemia
Definition :
Anemia is a condition in which you don't have enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to your tissues. Having anemia may make you feel exhausted.
There are many forms of anemia, each with its own cause. Anemia can be temporary or long term, and it can range from mild to severe.
See your doctor if you suspect you have anemia, because anemia can be a sign of serious illnesses. Treatments for anemia range from taking supplements to undergoing medical procedures. You may be able to prevent some types of anemia by eating a healthy, varied diet.
Symptoms:
Signs and symptoms vary depending on the cause of your anemia, but may include:
When to see a doctor
Make an appointment with your doctor if you're feeling fatigued for unexplained reasons. Some anemias, such as iron deficiency anemia, are common. Fatigue has many causes besides anemia, so don't assume that if you're tired, you must be anemic.
Some people learn that their hemoglobin is low, which indicates anemia, when they go to donate blood. Low hemoglobin may be a temporary problem remedied by eating more iron-rich foods or taking a multivitamin containing iron. However, it may also be a warning sign of blood loss in your body that may be causing you to be deficient in iron. If you're told that you can't donate blood because of low hemoglobin, make an appointment with your doctor
Causes:
Anemia occurs when your blood doesn't have enough red blood cells. This could result if:
Your body makes three types of blood cells — white blood cells to fight infection, platelets to help your blood clot and red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout your body.
Red blood cells contain hemoglobin — a red, iron-rich protein that gives blood its red color. Hemoglobin enables red blood cells to carry oxygen from your lungs to all parts of your body, and to carry carbon dioxide from other parts of the body to your lungs so that it can be exhaled.
Most blood cells, including red blood cells, are produced regularly in your bone marrow — a red, spongy material found within the cavities of many of your large bones. To produce hemoglobin and red blood cells, your body needs iron, vitamin B-12, folate and other nutrients from the foods you eat.
Causes of common types of anemia
Common types of anemia and their causes include:
When to see a doctor
Make an appointment with your doctor if you're feeling fatigued for unexplained reasons. Some anemias, such as iron deficiency anemia, are common. Fatigue has many causes besides anemia, so don't assume that if you're tired, you must be anemic.
Some people learn that their hemoglobin is low, which indicates anemia, when they go to donate blood. Low hemoglobin may be a temporary problem remedied by eating more iron-rich foods or taking a multivitamin containing iron. However, it may also be a warning sign of blood loss in your body that may be causing you to be deficient in iron. If you're told that you can't donate blood because of low hemoglobin, make an appointment with your doctor
Treatments and drugs:
Anemia treatment depends on the cause:
Definition :
Anemia is a condition in which you don't have enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to your tissues. Having anemia may make you feel exhausted.
There are many forms of anemia, each with its own cause. Anemia can be temporary or long term, and it can range from mild to severe.
See your doctor if you suspect you have anemia, because anemia can be a sign of serious illnesses. Treatments for anemia range from taking supplements to undergoing medical procedures. You may be able to prevent some types of anemia by eating a healthy, varied diet.
Symptoms:
Signs and symptoms vary depending on the cause of your anemia, but may include:
- Fatigue
- Pale skin
- A fast or irregular heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Dizziness
- Cognitive problems
- Cold hands and feet
- Headache
When to see a doctor
Make an appointment with your doctor if you're feeling fatigued for unexplained reasons. Some anemias, such as iron deficiency anemia, are common. Fatigue has many causes besides anemia, so don't assume that if you're tired, you must be anemic.
Some people learn that their hemoglobin is low, which indicates anemia, when they go to donate blood. Low hemoglobin may be a temporary problem remedied by eating more iron-rich foods or taking a multivitamin containing iron. However, it may also be a warning sign of blood loss in your body that may be causing you to be deficient in iron. If you're told that you can't donate blood because of low hemoglobin, make an appointment with your doctor
Causes:
Anemia occurs when your blood doesn't have enough red blood cells. This could result if:
- Your body doesn't make enough red blood cells
- Bleeding causes you to lose red blood cells more quickly than they can be replaced
- Your body destroys red blood cells
Your body makes three types of blood cells — white blood cells to fight infection, platelets to help your blood clot and red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout your body.
Red blood cells contain hemoglobin — a red, iron-rich protein that gives blood its red color. Hemoglobin enables red blood cells to carry oxygen from your lungs to all parts of your body, and to carry carbon dioxide from other parts of the body to your lungs so that it can be exhaled.
Most blood cells, including red blood cells, are produced regularly in your bone marrow — a red, spongy material found within the cavities of many of your large bones. To produce hemoglobin and red blood cells, your body needs iron, vitamin B-12, folate and other nutrients from the foods you eat.
Causes of common types of anemia
Common types of anemia and their causes include:
- Iron deficiency anemia. Iron deficiency anemia is
caused by a shortage of the element iron in your body. Your bone marrow
needs iron to make hemoglobin. Without adequate iron, your body can't
produce enough hemoglobin for red blood cells.
- Vitamin deficiency anemias. In addition to iron,
your body needs folate and vitamin B-12 to produce sufficient numbers of
healthy red blood cells. A diet lacking in these and other key
nutrients can cause decreased red blood cell production. Additionally,
some people may eat enough B-12, but their bodies aren't able to process
the vitamin. This can lead to vitamin deficiency anemia.
- Anemia of chronic disease. Certain chronic diseases
— such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease and
other chronic inflammatory diseases — can interfere with the production
of red blood cells, resulting in chronic anemia. Kidney failure also can
cause of anemia.
- Aplastic anemia. This very rare, life-threatening
anemia is caused by a decrease in the bone marrow's ability to produce
red blood cells. Causes of aplastic anemia include infections, drugs and
autoimmune diseases.
- Anemias associated with bone marrow disease. A
variety of diseases, such as leukemia and myelodysplasia, can cause
anemia by affecting blood production in your bone marrow. The effects of
these types of cancer and cancer-like disorders vary from a mild
alteration in blood production to a complete, life-threatening shutdown
of the blood-making process. Other cancers of the blood or bone marrow,
such as multiple myeloma, myeloproliferative disorders and lymphoma,
also can cause anemia.
- Hemolytic anemias. This group of anemias develops
when red blood cells are destroyed faster than bone marrow can replace
them. Certain blood diseases can cause increased red blood cell
destruction. Hemolytic anemias can be inherited or you can develop them
later in life.
- Sickle cell anemia. This inherited and sometimes
serious anemia is caused by a defective form of hemoglobin that forces
red blood cells to assume an abnormal crescent (sickle) shape. These
irregular-shaped red blood cells die prematurely, resulting in a chronic
shortage of red blood cells.
- Other anemias. There are several other, rarer forms of anemia, such as thalassemia and anemias caused by defective hemoglobin.
-
Complications:
- Fatigue
- Pale skin
- A fast or irregular heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Dizziness
- Cognitive problems
- Cold hands and feet
- Headache
When to see a doctor
Make an appointment with your doctor if you're feeling fatigued for unexplained reasons. Some anemias, such as iron deficiency anemia, are common. Fatigue has many causes besides anemia, so don't assume that if you're tired, you must be anemic.
Some people learn that their hemoglobin is low, which indicates anemia, when they go to donate blood. Low hemoglobin may be a temporary problem remedied by eating more iron-rich foods or taking a multivitamin containing iron. However, it may also be a warning sign of blood loss in your body that may be causing you to be deficient in iron. If you're told that you can't donate blood because of low hemoglobin, make an appointment with your doctor
Treatments and drugs:
Anemia treatment depends on the cause:
- Iron deficiency anemia. This form of anemia is
treated with changes in your diet and iron supplements. If the
underlying cause of iron deficiency is loss of blood — other than from
menstruation — the source of the bleeding must be located and stopped.
This may involve surgery.
- Vitamin deficiency anemias. Folic acid deficiency
anemia is treated with folic acid supplements. If your digestive system
has trouble absorbing vitamin B-12 from the food you eat, you may
receive vitamin B-12 injections.
- Anemia of chronic disease. There's no specific
treatment for this type of anemia. Doctors focus on treating the
underlying disease. If symptoms become severe, a blood transfusion or
injections of synthetic erythropoietin, a hormone normally produced by
your kidneys, may help stimulate red blood cell production and ease
fatigue.
- Aplastic anemia. Treatment for this anemia may
include blood transfusions to boost levels of red blood cells. You may
need a bone marrow transplant if your bone marrow is diseased and can't
make healthy blood cells.
- Anemias associated with bone marrow disease. Treatment of these various diseases can range from simple medication to chemotherapy to bone marrow transplantation.
- Hemolytic anemias. Managing hemolytic anemias
includes avoiding suspect medications, treating related infections and
taking drugs that suppress your immune system, which may be attacking
your red blood cells. Short courses of treatment with steroids or immune
suppressant medications can help suppress your immune system's attack
on your red blood cells. Depending on the severity of your anemia, a
blood transfusion or plasmapheresis may be necessary. Plasmapheresis is a
type of blood-filtering procedure.
- Sickle cell anemia. Treatment for this anemia may include the administration of oxygen, pain-relieving drugs, and oral and intravenous fluids to reduce pain and prevent complications. Doctors may also recommend blood transfusions, folic acid supplements and antibiotics. A bone marrow transplant may be an effective treatment in some circumstances. A cancer drug called hydroxyurea (Droxia, Hydrea) also is used to treat sickle cell anemia.
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