Anemia

Anemia

1. ANEMIA Prepared by, MRS. RIJO LIJO

2. INTRODUCTION Red blood cells carry hemoglobin, an iron-rich protein that attaches to oxygen in the lungs and carries it to tissues throughout the body. Anemia occurs when our body do not have enough red blood cells or when our red blood cells do not function properly.

3. DEFINITION Deficiency in either quality or quantity of red corpuscles in the blood that reduces the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood, giving rise especially to symptoms of anoxaemia ( complete lack of oxygen in the blood). - BAILLIERS NURSES DICTIONARY

4. NORMAL VALUES Male: 13.8 to 17.2 grams per deciliter (g/dl). Female: 12.1 to 15.1 g/dl.

5. Risk factors A diet lacking in certain vitamins and minerals. A diet consistently low in iron, vitamin B-12 and folate increases the risk of anemia. Intestinal disorders . Having an intestinal disorder that affects the absorption of nutrients in the small intestine — such as crohn's disease and celiac disease. Menstruation. In general, women who haven't had menopause have a greater risk of iron deficiency anemia than do men and postmenopausal women. Menstruation causes the loss of red blood cells.

6. Pregnancy. If pregnant women are not taking a multivitamin with folic acid and iron, that causes an increased risk of developing anemia. Chronic conditions . Cancer. kidney failure. diabetes.

7. Family history. If there is a family history of an inherited anemia, such as sickle cell anemia, there might be at increased risk of developing anemia. Other factors. A history of certain infections, blood diseases and autoimmune disorders increases the risk of anemia. Alcoholism, exposure to toxic chemicals, and the use of some medications can affect red blood cell production and lead to anemia. Age. People over age 65 are at increased risk of anemia.

8. ETIOLOGY

9. TYPES OF ANEMIA

10. CLASSIFICATION OF ANEMIA

11. PATHOPHYSIOLOGY

12. CLINICAl manifestations Fatigue. Weakness. Pale or yellowish skin. Irregular heartbeats. Shortness of breath. Dizziness or lightheadedness. Chest pain. Cold hands and feet. Headaches.

13. DIAGNOSTIC EVALUATION History collection. Physical examination. Complete Blood C ount (CBC). A CBC is used to count the number of blood cells in a sample of your blood. For anemia, the doctor will be interested in the levels of the red blood cells contained in blood (hematocrit) and the hemoglobin in blood.

14. Treatment Iron deficiency anemia. Treatment for this form of anemia usually involves taking iron supplements and changing the diet.If the cause of iron deficiency is loss of blood — other than from menstruation — the source of the bleeding must be located and the bleeding stopped. This might involve surgery.

15. vitamin deficiency anemias. treatment for folic acid and vitamin C deficiency involves dietary supplements and increasing these nutrients in diet. anemia of chronic disease. there's no specific treatment for this type of anemia. doctors focus on treating the underlying disease. if symptoms become severe, a blood transfusion or injections of a synthetic hormone normally produced by the kidneys (erythropoietin) might help stimulate red blood cell production and ease fatigue.

16. Aplastic anemia. Treatment for this anemia can include blood transfusions to boost levels of red blood cells. Anemias associated with bone marrow disease. Treatment of these various diseases can include medication, chemotherapy or bone marrow transplantation.

17. Sickle cell anemia. Treatment might include oxygen, pain relievers, and oral and intravenous fluids to reduce pain and prevent complications. Doctors might also recommend blood transfusions, folic acid supplements and antibiotics. Thalassemia. Most forms of thalassemia are mild and require no treatment. More severe forms of thalassemia generally require blood transfusions, folic acid supplements, medication, removal of the spleen, or a blood and bone marrow stem cell transplant.

18. Complications Severe fatigue. Severe anemia can make the client so tired. Pregnancy complications. Pregnant women with folate deficiency anemia may be more likely to have complications, such as premature birth.

19. Heart problems. Anemia can lead to a rapid or irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia). When the client is anemic then heart must pump more blood to make up for the lack of oxygen in the blood. This can lead to an enlarged heart or heart failure. Death. Some inherited anemias, such as sickle cell anemia, can lead to life-threatening complications.

20. Prevention Iron. Iron-rich foods include beef and other meats, beans, lentils, iron-fortified cereals, dark green leafy vegetables, and dried fruit. Folate. This nutrient, and its synthetic form folic acid, can be found in fruits and fruit juices, dark green leafy vegetables, green peas, kidney beans, peanuts, and enriched grain products, such as bread, cereal, pasta and rice.

21. Vitamin B-12. Foods rich in vitamin B-12 include meat, dairy products, and fortified cereal and soy products. Vitamin c. Foods rich in vitamin C include citrus fruits and juices, peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, melons and strawberries. These also help increase iron absorption.