Anemia is a medical condition characterized by an insufficient amount of red blood cells that carry oxygen to the tissues.
There are several types of anemia, each with a specific cause, and it may be a temporary condition or an ongoing medical condition, depending on the severity of the condition.
Important information about anemia
Anemia is defined as a decrease in one or more measures of red blood cells, which include the following:
Hemoglobin concentration: It is defined as the amount of primary oxygen-carrying hemoglobin in the blood.
Hematocrit: It is the blood precipitate or the percentage of the volume of red blood cells out of the total volume of blood.
Red blood cell count: It is the number of red blood cells present in a given volume of blood.
types of blood cells
There are three different types of blood cells, including the following
Leucocytes: These cells help protect the body from infection.
Thrombocytes: These cells help blood clot after bleeding.
Erythrocytes: These cells carry oxygen from the lungs to vital organs and other tissues.
Important information about hemoglobin in the blood
Important information about hemoglobin in the blood includes the following
Red blood cells contain hemoglobin, an iron-rich, red protein.
Hemoglobin helps transport oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body and transport carbon dioxide from the body to the lungs, so that it can be exhaled out of the body.
Most blood cells, including red blood cells, are constantly produced in the bone marrow, a spongy red substance found inside the large bony cavities of the body.
In order to produce hemoglobin and red blood cells, the body needs iron and other minerals, vitamins and proteins that are available in the food that humans eat, in addition to some hormones, the most important of which is erythropoietin (EPO), which the kidneys secrete in order to produce red blood cells.
It should be noted that the average age of a red blood cell ranges from 110 to 120 days.
When a person suffers from anemia, his body does not produce enough red blood cells, but rather wastes or destroys many of them faster than its ability to produce new blood cells.
Differences in anemia assay values between males and females
Anemia is defined according to the values of blood tests, which differ between males and females as follows:
Males: less than 13.5 g/dL of hemoglobin concentration, and hematocrit values of less than 41%.
Females: values of less than 12 g/dL of hemoglobin concentration, and values of less than 36% of hematocrit.
Variation in hemoglobin values
There are some special groups whose normal hemoglobin values differ from the rest of the human population for genetic or hereditary reasons or for reasons related to their lifestyle. Among these groups we mention the following:
smokers
It is known that smokers have higher hematocrit values than non-smokers, which makes detecting anemia difficult. Because it does not appear during laboratory tests.
Highlanders
People who live at a high altitude have higher hemoglobin values than those who live near sea level.
African Americans
People of African descent have hemoglobin values that are 0.5-1.0 g/dL lower than the internationally recognized values.
athletes
Athletes have normal hemoglobin values that are different from the universally recognized normal values.
Symptoms of anemia
The emergence of symptoms of anemia depends on the severity of the patient''s condition, in addition to the extent of the disease''s progression, and the extent of the patient''s need for oxygen.
Symptoms of anemia usually appear if the development of the disease is very rapid, but if its development is slow, it is possible that no symptoms appear Because the body has become accustomed to the new position.
anemia
Symptoms of anemia vary depending on the cause, and may include the following
Tired.
pale skin
Rapid and irregular heartbeat.
shortness of breath.
chest pain
dizziness
Changes in the cognitive state.
Cold hands and feet.
Headache.
myocardial infarction.
Causes and risk factors for anemia
blood cells
The causes of anemia and risk factors can be explained through the following
1. Causes of anemia
Types of anemia can be divided according to their causes as follows
Iron deficiency anemia
Iron deficiency anemia is one of the most common types of anemia, affecting approximately 2%-3% of the adult US population.
The reason for this type of anemia is that the bone marrow needs iron in order to produce hemoglobin, and in the absence of good quantities of it, this may cause a deficiency in the production of red blood cells.
Vitamin Deficiency Anemia
The body needs many vitamins, such as folic acid and vitamin B12, to produce an adequate amount of red blood cells.
An incomplete diet may cause a decrease in the production of red blood cells, and there are some people who suffer from their body''s inability to absorb vitamin B12 effectively.
Having a chronic disease
Anemia occurs due to many chronic diseases, such as: cancer, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), gout, Crohn’s disease, some chronic inflammatory diseases, and kidney failure.
Aplastic anemia
Aplastic anemia is a rare, but life-threatening type of anemia, usually caused by a decreased ability of the bone marrow to produce all types of blood cells.
The cause of aplastic anemia is still unknown in most cases, but there is a belief that it is related to diseases that affect the functioning of the immune system.
Anemia caused by a disease of the bone marrow
There are many diseases, such as: leukemia, and myelodysplasia, which can lead to anemia and affect the bone marrow, as it can cause a decrease or a complete stop in the production of red blood cells.
hemolysis anemia
This type of anemia occurs when red blood cells are destroyed faster than the bone marrow''s ability to produce new blood cells.
Infection with some diseases
There are some diseases that may cause significant damage to red blood cells, such as: Immune system disorders that cause the production of antibodies (Antibodies) to red blood cells and cause them to be destroyed prematurely.
Sickle cell anemia
Sickle cell anemia is transmitted by inheritance and in most cases affects people of African descent, and it usually occurs as a result of a defect in hemoglobin that causes the formation of red blood cells in a sickle shape, and thus these cells die prematurely.
2. Risk factors for anemia
Risk factors for anemia include
Malnutrition
Most of the time, the diet of many does not contain sufficient amounts of iron and other vitamins such as folic acid, which increases the risk of anemia.
Diseases and disorders of the intestine
Some bowel disorders, such as Crohn''s disease and Celiac disease, may affect the absorption of food and the vitamins it contains, which may cause a deficiency and thus anemia.
Menstrual cycle
Women in their fertile period are more likely to suffer from iron deficiency anemia than men, because women lose amounts of blood during menstruation.
pregnancy
Pregnant women are at high risk of iron deficiency anemia, due to the fetus''s need for iron and hemoglobin for its growth and development.
DNA
Sometimes anemia is transmitted genetically if a family member has one of the types of anemia that is transmitted by inheritance, such as sickle cell anemia.
Complications of anemia
Picture of a dizzy woman
If anemia is not treated, it may lead to many side complications, such as the following
Hyper-fatigue: where the patient feels so tired that he cannot carry out his simple daily duties, and it may be difficult for him to play or work.
Heart problems: Anemia may cause a rapid heartbeat to compensate for the lack of oxygen in the blood, and it may cause heart failure at times.
Nerve damage: Vitamin B12 is essential for the proper functioning of nerves.
Cognitive changes: Vitamin B12 deficiency affects brain function.
Death: Sickle cell anemia causes serious medical complications, and the loss of large amounts of blood over a short period of time leads to anemia that can be fatal.
Diagnosis of anemia
Anemia can be diagnosed by knowing the patient’s medical history, conducting a comprehensive physical examination, and blood tests, including a complete blood count, where many observations must be taken into account, as follows:
Normal values for red blood cells in an adult range between 38.8% - 50% in males, and between 34.9% and 44.5% in females.
Normal hemoglobin values for an adult human range from 13.5-17.5 grams per deciliter for males, and 12-15.5 grams per deciliter for females.
Blood cells are examined to find out their size, shape and color.
Performing these tests helps to reach an accurate diagnosis. In iron deficiency anemia, the red blood cells are smaller and paler than normal, and in vitamin deficiency anemia, the red blood cells are larger and fewer in number than usual.
