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Anemia causes
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Anemia is when you have too few red blood cells
(hemoglobin [Hb]) in the bloodstream, resulting in insufficient oxygen to tissues and organs.
The three main causes of anemia
are:
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Blood loss
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Lack of red blood cell
production |
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High rates of red blood cell
destruction |
Anemia may
cause weakness, dizziness, low energy, and sometimes
shortness of breath.
Anemia can be
caused by the malignancy (such as lymphoma in the marrow), and it is also a side effect associated with
many standard treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation.
Reporting fatigue:
Clinical signs of anemia - changes
in performance - would be important to report, such as fatigue,
shortness of breath on exertion, general weakness - but these can be
difficult to be aware of when a condition comes on gradually - which
is another reason regular exercise is a very good idea, as
you will more readily notice a decrease in performance when you do
regular activities, (could do this yesterday, but not today). Such
reports on performance will be of more use to our doctors as well,
compared to reporting "I feel tired."
Causes
Unless
treatment-related anemia is assumed, the clinician will first seek
the type and underlying cause:
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Production-based (microcytic) most common
associated most commonly with iron
deficiency, also chronic disease and thallesemia
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Deficiency-based (macrocytic)
associated
with absorption problems, B12 deficiency, folate deficiency.
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Destruction-based (normocytic)
(commonly associated with acute blood
loss, chronic disease)
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Causes (in order of frequency in US):
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Iron-deficiency
anemia |
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Blood loss due to Abnormal Bleeding (Uterine,
Gastrointestinal)
Low platelets could contribute to this cause
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Anemia of Chronic Disease
Chronic Renal Failure
Connective tissue disease
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Macrocytic Anemia (absorption problems)
Pernicious Anemia (B12 Deficiency)
Folic Acid deficiency
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Hemolytic Anemia
abnormal breakdown of red blood cells
Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia
Non-Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia
Adapted from
fpnotebook.com
(excellent resource)
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Resources:
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Coombs' test for
Medline
Used to detect and identify antibodies in patient sera or
antibodies bound to red cells.
Used for the diagnosis of hemolytic disease of the newborn, and
autoimmune hemolytic anemia
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