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- 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.
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
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:
- Advanced kidney disease
- Hypothyroidism
- Other chronic diseases, such as cancer, infection, lupus, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis
- 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.
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