Anemia

Anemia, which is Latin for “without blood,” manifests due to the reduced number of red blood cells or amount of hemoglobin. Erythrocytes are red blood cells that are used for transfer of oxygen and removal of carbon dioxide.

Causes

There are numerous possible causes of anemia – blood loss caused by trauma, impaired red blood cell production or increased breakdown or hemolysis of erythrocytes. The most common form of anemia is iron deficiency anemia caused by iron deficiency.

Iron-deficiency anemia – anemia  which occurs due to reduced intake or utilization of iron in the body . With this type of anemia treatment is carried out with iron supplementation for 3-6 months.

Anemia caused by bleeding – in this type of anemia we differentiate acute bleeding and chronic bleeding. Acute bleeding occurs as a result of wounding, and is characterized by a rapid and comprehensive loss of blood. Chronic bleeding is characterized by prolonged, moderate loss of blood and occurs most often in chronic urological, gynecological or gastrointestinal bleeding (e.g., peptic ulcer, hemorrhoids, menstrual cycle disorders, cancer of the colon).

 Megaloblastic anemia – a deficiency of folic acid and cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12). Vitamin B12 deficiency occurs due to insufficient food intake (e.g., vegetarian diet), or changes in the gastric mucosa, which secretes mucus needed for absorption of vitamin B12. Causes of vitamin B12 deficiency are extensive surgical resection of the stomach or pernicious anemia, autoimmune disease in which antibodies are produced in the parietal cells of the stomach, thereby causing atrophy of the mucous membranes. It is caused by lack of folic acid occurs mainly as a result of insufficient food intake. Treatment of megaloblastic anemia is carried out by taking folic acid.

Hemolytic anemia – hemolysis indicates an increased breakdown of red blood cells. This form of anemia is due to certain changes in the enzymatic system, the structure of red blood cells or autoimmune mechanisms which make them susceptible to various damages, which subjects to faster degradation. In hemolytic anemia there are a number of kinds of anemia, such as sickle-cell anemia, elliptocytosis, thalassemia and others.

Symptoms

• Dizziness

• Weakness

• Tinnitus

• Pale skin and mucous membranes

• Flashes before the eyes

• Palpitations – a compensatory response of the heart which increases the frequency of heart rate in an attempt to improve the transfer of oxygen to the tissues

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of anemia is based primarily on determining iron levels, ferritin as an indicator of iron storage in the body and iron binding capacity (TIBC and UIBC).

Sideroperic anemia is characterized by low serum iron, low ferritin and high TIBC and UIBC. In contrast, chronic disease anemia is characterized by low iron in blood, TIBC and UIBC are also low and ferritin is high.