Anemia

• Anemia is a condition that develops when your blood lacks enough healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin.
• Hemoglobin is a main part of red blood cells and binds oxygen.
• If you have too few or abnormal red blood cells, or your hemoglobin is abnormal or low, the cells in your body will not get enough oxygen.

• Symptoms of anemia : fatigue occur because organs aren't getting what they need to function properly.

• Anemia is the most common blood condition in the U.S. It affects about 5.6% of the people in the U.S. Women, young children, and people with chronic diseases are at increased risk of anemia.
• Important factors to remember are Certain forms of anemia are hereditary and infants may be affected at the time of birth .
• Women in the childbearing years are particularly susceptible to iron deficiency anemia because of the blood loss from menstruation and the increased blood supply demands during pregnancy.
• Older adults also may have a greater risk of developing anemia because of poor diet and other medical conditions.

There are many types of anemia. All are very different in their causes and treatments.

• Iron-deficiency anemia, the most common type, is very treatable with diet changes and iron supplements.
• Some forms of anemia like the mild anemia that develops during pregnancy are even considered normal.
• However, some types of anemia may present lifelong health problems.

ANEMIA CAUSES :

• There are more than 400 types of anemia, which are divided into three groups:
• Anemia caused by blood loss.
• Anemia caused by decreased or faulty red blood cell production.
• Anemia caused by destruction of red blood   cells .

ANEMIA CAUSED BY BLOOD LOSS :
Red blood cells can be lost through bleeding, which often can occur slowly over a long period of time, and can go undetected.

This kind of chronic bleeding commonly results from the following:

• Gastrointestinal conditions such as ulcers, hemorrhoids, gastritis (inflammation of the stomach), and cancer.
• Use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin or ibuprofen, which can cause ulcers and gastritis.
• Menstruation, especially if menstrual bleeding is excessive .

B. ANEMIA CAUSED BY DECREASED OR FAULTY RED BLOOD CELL PRODUCTION :

• With this type of anemia, the body may produce too few blood cells or the blood cells may not function correctly.
• In either case, anemia can result.
• Red blood cells may be faulty or decreased due to abnormal red blood cells or a lack of minerals and vitamins needed for red blood cells to work properly.
• Conditions associated with these causes of anemia include the following:

1. Sickle cell anemia
2. Iron-deficiency anemia
3. Vitamin deficiency
4. Bone marrow and stem cell problems
5. Other health conditions

SICKLE CELL ANEMIA:

• Is an inherited disorder that, in the U.S. affects mainly African-Americans and Hispanic Americans.
• Red blood cells become crescent-shaped because of a genetic defect.
• They break down rapidly, so oxygen does not get to the body's organs, causing anemia.
• The crescent-shaped red blood cells can also get stuck in tiny blood vessels, causing pain.

IRON-DEFICIENCY ANEMIA:

• Occurs because of a lack of the mineral iron in the body.
• Bone marrow in the center of the bone needs iron to make hemoglobin, the part of the red blood cell that transports oxygen to the body's organs.
• Without adequate iron, the body cannot produce enough hemoglobin for red blood cells.
• The result is iron-deficiency anemia.

This type of anemia can be caused by:

• An iron-poor diet, especially in infants, children, teens, vegans, and vegetarians.
• The metabolic demands of pregnancy and breastfeeding that deplete a woman's iron stores.
• Menstruation.
• Frequent blood donation.
• Endurance training .
• Digestive conditions such as Crohn's disease or surgical removal of part of the stomach or small intestine.
• Certain drugs, foods, and caffeinated drinks.

VITAMIN-DEFICIENCY ANEMIA:

• May occur when vitamin B12 and folate are deficient.
• These two vitamins are needed to make red blood cells.

Conditions leading to anemia caused by vitamin deficiency include:

Megaloblastic anemia:

 Vitamin B12 or folate or both are deficient

• Pernicious anemia: Poor vitamin B12 absorption
• Dietary deficiency: Eating little or no meat may cause a lack of vitamin B12, while overcooking or eating too few vegetables may cause a folate deficiency.
• Other causes of vitamin deficiency: pregnancy, certain medications, alcohol abuse, intestinal diseases such as tropical sprue and celiac disease .
• During early pregnancy, sufficient folic acid can help prevent the fetus from developing neural tube defects such as spina bifida.

BONE MARROW AND STEM CELL PROBLEMS:

• May prevent the body from producing enough red blood cells.
• Some of the stem cells found in bone marrow develop into red blood cells.
• If stem cells are too few, defective, or replaced by other cells such as metastatic cancer cells, anemia may result.
• Anemia resulting from bone marrow or stem cell problems include:

APLASTIC ANEMIA:

• Occurs when there's a marked reduction in the number of stem cells or absence of these cells.
• Aplastic anemia can be inherited, can occur without apparent cause, or can occur when the bone marrow is injured by medications, radiation, chemotherapy,or infection.

THALASSEMIA:

• Occurs when the red cells can't mature and grow properly.
• Thalassemia is an inherited condition that typically affects people of Mediterranean, African, Middle Eastern, and Southeast Asian descent.
• This condition can range in severity from mild to life-threatening; the most severe form is called Cooley's anemia.

LEAD EXPOSURE:

• Is toxic to the bone marrow, leading to fewer red blood cells.
• Lead poisoning occurs in adults from work-related exposure and in children who eat paint chips, for example.
• Improperly glazed pottery can also taint food and liquids with lead.

ANEMIA ASSOCIATED WITH OTHER CONDITIONS:

• Usually occurs when there are too few hormones necessary for red blood cell production.
• Conditions causing this type of anemia include the following:

1.  Advanced kidney disease
2. Hypothyroidism
3. Other chronic diseases, such as cancer, infection, lupus, diabetes, and rheumatoid    arthritis
4. Old age

C .ANEMIA CAUSED BY DESTRUCTION OF RED BLOOD CELLS :

• When red blood cells are fragile and cannot withstand the routine stress of the circulatory system, they may rupture prematurely, causing hemolytic anemia.
• Hemolytic anemia can be present at birth or develop later. Sometimes there is no known cause.

 KNOWN CAUSES OF HEMOLYTIC ANEMIA MAY INCLUDE:

• Inherited conditions, such as sickle cell anemia and thalassemia .
• Stressors such as infections, drugs, snake or spider venom, or certain foods .
• Toxins from advanced liver or kidney disease.
• Inappropriate attack by the immune system (called hemolytic disease of the newborn when it occurs in the fetus of a pregnant woman).
• Vascular grafts, prosthetic heart valves, tumors, severe burns, exposure to certain chemicals, severe hypertension, and clotting disorders.
• In rare cases, an enlarged spleen can trap red blood cells and destroy them before their circulating time is up.