Anemia is most common blood disorder, and according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, it affects more than 3 million Americans. Anemia occurs when you do not have enough red blood cells or when your red blood cells do not function properly. If you have too few or abnormal red blood cells, or your hemoglobin is abnormal or low, the cells in your body will not get enough oxygen. Hemoglobin is the main part of the red blood cells that binds oxygen. The most common symptoms for Anemia are: weakness, shortness of breath, dizziness, fast or irregular heartbeat pounding, "whooshing" in your ears, headache, cold hands or feet, or pale or yellow skin, and lastly chest pain.
There are a lot of causes of Anemia however the most …show more content…
The signs and symptoms of anemia can easily be overlooked. In fact, many people do not even realize that they have anemia until it is identified in a blood test. It is diagnosed when a blood test shows a hemoglobin value of less than 13.5 gm/dl in a man or less than 12.0 gm/dl in a woman. Normal values for children vary with age. Anemia can be treated depending on what exactly is causing it. If you have iron-deficiency Anemia, your doctor may order tests to determine if you are losing blood from your stomach or bowels. Treatment varies from changing your diet to taking dietary supplements. If the anemia is due to a chronic disease, treatment of the underlying disease will often improve the anemia. Under some circumstances, such as chronic kidney disease, your doctor may prescribe medication such as erythropoietin injections to stimulate your bone marrow to produce more red blood …show more content…
Aplastic anemia may be due to primary bone marrow failure, a condition in which the bone marrow produces abnormal red blood cells that do not mature properly, or occasionally as a side effect of some medications. If you appear to have a form of aplastic anemia, the doctor may refer you to a hematologist for a bone marrow biopsy to determine the cause of the anemia. Medications and blood transfusions may be used to treat aplastic anemia.
Hemolytic anemia occurs when red blood cells are destroyed in the blood stream. This may be due to mechanical factors a leaky heart valve or aneurysm, infection, or an autoimmune disease. The cause can often be identified by special blood tests and by looking at the red blood cells under a microscope. The treatment will depend upon the cause and may include referral to a heart or vascular specialist, antibiotics, or drugs that suppress the immune