ANEMIA

MANOLO FORTICH NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

By: Irene Gaspe & Hanzhell Campugan
 ANEMIA

Anemia
Overvie Prevention
Causes Symptoms Treatmen
w t

*Symptoms of *Self-Care at
*Reduced Production anemia Home
of Red Blood Cells  *Symptoms of *Medical
*Destruction of Red severe anemia
Blood Cells Treatment
*Some of the signs
*Bleeding *Medications
that may indicate
anemia
 ANEMIA

I. Overview
II. Causes
ØReduced Production of Red Blood Cells 
ØDestruction of Red Blood Cells
ØBleeding
III. Symptoms
ØSymptoms of anemia
ØSymptoms of severe anemia
ØSome of the signs that may indicate anemia
IV. Treatment
V. Prevention
VI. Summary
 WHAT IS ANEMIA?

ANEMIA - describes the condition in which the number of red blood

cells in the blood is low.


 ENTOMOLOGY


 -from Ancient Greek ἀναιμία anaimia,

meaning "lack of blood")

Common causes of anemia include the following:

Reduced Production of Red Blood Cells

- Red blood cell production becomes impaired if the body has inadequate
amounts of certain nutrients, including iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid, as well
as the hormone erythropoietin, which is produced by the kidneys.

Destruction of Red Blood Cells

- Red blood cells normally live for about 120 days before the immune system
removes them from the body. The body compensates by producing new red
blood cells. But if the destruction of red blood cells exceeds the body’s ability to
produce new red blood cells, anemia results.

Bleeding
- Excessive bleeding can cause dangerously low blood pressure as well as
Because a low red blood cell count decreases oxygen delivery
to every tissue in the body, anemia may cause many signs and
symptoms. It can also make almost any other underlying
medical condition worse. If anemia is mild, it may not cause
any symptoms. If anemia is slowly ongoing (chronic), the body
may adapt and compensate for the change; in this case there
may not be any symptoms until the anemia becomes more
severe.
Symptoms of anemia may include the following:

ØFatigue
ØWeakness
ØShortness of breath
ØLightheadedness
ØPalpitation (beating irregularly)
ØLooking pale

Symptoms of severe anemia may include:

Ø Chest pain, or heart attack

Ø Dizziness
Ø fainting or passing out
Ø Rapid heart rate
Some of the signs that may indicate anemia in an individual may
include:

ØChange in stool color, including black and tarry stools (sticky

and foul smelling), maroon-colored, or visibly bloody stools if
the anemia is due to blood loss through the gastrointestinal
tract.
ØRapid heart rate
ØLow blood pressure
ØRapid breathing
ØPale
ØYellow skin
ØHeart murmur
ØEnlargement of the spleen
 Anemia is a common condition.
 It occurs in all age groups and all racial and
ethnic groups.
 Both men and women can have anemia, but
women of childbearing age are at higher risk for
the condition.
 This is because women in this age range lose
blood from menstruation.
 Researchers continue to study how anemia
affects older adults.
 More than 10 percent of older adults have mild
forms of anemia.
 Many of these people have other medical
conditions as well.
Factors that raise your risk for anemia include:

vA diet that is low in iron, vitamins, or minerals

vBlood loss from surgery or an injury
vLong-term or serious illnesses, such as kidney disease, cancer,
diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS, inflammatory bowel disease
(including Crohn’s disease), liver disease, heart failure, and thyroid
disease
vLong-term infections
vA family history of inherited anemia, such as sickle sell anemia or
thalassemias.
How Is Anemia Diagnosed?

Your doctor will diagnose anemia based on your medical and family
histories, a physical exam, and results from tests and procedures.
Because anemia doesn’t always cause symptoms, your doctor may find
out you have it while checking for another condition.
 ANEMIA TREATMENT

Self-Care at Home

If the reason for anemia is known, then measures to keep it under

control are very important. For example, if anemia is caused by a
stomach ulcer, then medications such as aspirin or ibuprofen should be
avoided, unless otherwise directed by a doctor.

Medical Treatment

Medical treatment of anemia varies widely and depends on the

cause and the severity of anemia.

Medications
qIron may be taken during pregnancy and when iron levels are low.

qStopping a medication that may be the cause of anemia may also

reverse anemia after consultation with a physician.

qIf alcohol is the cause of anemia, then in addition to taking vitamins and
maintaining adequate nutrition, alcohol consumption needs to be stopped.
 PREVENTION

Some common forms of anemia are most easily

prevented by eating a healthy diet and limiting alcohol use.
All types of anemia are best avoided by seeing a doctor
regularly and when problems arise. In the elderly, routine
blood work ordered by the doctor, even if there are no
symptoms, may detect anemia and prompt the doctor to
look for the underlying causes.
 SUMMARY

Preventing anemia and having the correct number of red

blood cells requires cooperation among the kidneys, the bone
marrow, and nutrients within the body. If the kidneys or bone
marrow are not functioning, or the body is poorly nourished,
then normal red blood cell count and function may be difficult
to maintain.

Anemia is actually a sign of a disease process rather than

a disease itself. It is usually classified as either chronic or
acute. Chronic anemia occurs over a long period of time.
Acute anemia occurs quickly. Determining whether anemia
has been present for a long time or whether it is something
new, assists doctors in finding the cause. This also helps
predict how severe the symptoms of anemia may be.