Anemia: Types, Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
Anemia refers to a very common medical condition characterized by a decrease in the number of red blood cells or a decrease in the amount of hemoglobin in the blood.
In this article we will discuss the definition of anemia, its causes, types, clinical picture, complications,
diagnosis and treatment.
Content :
◉ What is Anemia?
Anemia refers to a medical condition characterized by a decrease in the number of red blood cells and/or a decrease in the amount of hemoglobin in the blood.
When the body does not have enough red blood cells or hemoglobin, it can lead to reduced oxygen supply to organs and tissues, causing fatigue, weakness, and other symptoms.
Normal hemoglobin levels vary depending on sex in adults and age. Your doctor may suspect anemia if certain numbers are observed
- Hb < 12g/dl Women,
- Hb < 13g/dl Men,
- Hb < 14g/dl Newborn,
- Hb < 10.5 g/dl Pregnant woman (from the second trimester of pregnancy)
Anemia is just one symptom among others that requires a thorough etiological diagnosis to determine the cause with a view to implementing appropriate treatment.
◉ Classification
Anemia is a complex condition with numerous causes and underlying mechanisms, resulting in several types of anemias presenting diverse clinico-biological manifestations .
◉ Anemia according to reticulocyte count
Depending on the reticulocyte count, anemia can be classified into:
- Regenerative Anemia: If the reticulocyte count is > 120,000/mm3, this generally indicates a bone marrow response to compensate for increased loss of red blood cells .
- Non-Regenerative Anemia: If the reticulocyte count is < 120,000/mm3, this may indicate that the bone marrow is not producing enough red blood cells to compensate for the loss or destruction.
◉ Anemia according to Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV)
Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) is used to classify different types of anemia based on the average size of red blood cells into:
- Microcytic Anemia: The Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) is lower than normal (< 80fl), indicating that red blood cells are smaller than normal.
- Normocytic Anemia: This category of anemia is characterized by normal-sized red blood cells (80 < MCV < 100).
- Macrocytic Anemia: The MCV is higher than normal (> 100fl), indicating that red blood cells are larger than normal
◉ Anemia according to the Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH)
Based on MCH, anemia can be classified into:
- Hypochromic anemia: When the MCH is lower than normal, it suggests that the red blood cells contain less hemoglobin than normal.
- Normochromic anemia: When the MCH is within the normal range, it indicates that the amount of hemoglobin in each red blood cell is normal.
- Hyperchromic anemia: When the MCH is elevated beyond normal, it suggests that the red blood cells contain less hemoglobin than usual.
◉ Types
There are different types of anemia that have distinct causes and may require specific treatments. Some common types of anemia include.
◉ Causes
The causes of anemia vary and may include:
- Iron deficiency: The most common cause of anemia worldwide is iron deficiency, which can result from inadequate dietary intake,
poor iron absorption, increased iron requirements (e.g. during pregnancy) or chronic blood loss.
(such as heavy periods or gastrointestinal bleeding).
- Vitamin deficiencies: Deficiencies of vitamins like vitamin B12 and folic acid can impair the body's ability to produce red blood cells, leading to anemia. Poor dietary intake, malabsorption problems or certain medical conditions can contribute to these deficiencies.
- Chronic diseases: Certain chronic diseases, such as kidney disease, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease, can interfere with the production or lifespan of blood cells red, leading to anemia./li>
- Bone marrow disorders: Conditions affecting the bone marrow, such as myelodysplastic syndrome or leukemia, can disrupt the production of red blood cells and lead to anemia.
- Genetic disorders: Some people may have inherited genetic disorders, such as sickle cell disease or thalassemia, that affect the structure or production of red blood cells.
- Certain medications or treatments: such as chemotherapy, have the ability to compromise bone marrow function, which can lead to the development of anemia.
◉ Symptoms
The symptoms of anemia can vary depending on the severity and the underlying cause. However, some common symptoms and signs of anemia include:
- Fatigue: feeling tired or exhausted, even after adequate rest or sleep.
- Headache.
- Weakness: generalized weakness or decreased strength.
- Pale skin: Skin may appear paler than usual, especially in people with lighter skin.
- Shortness of breath: difficulty breathing, especially during physical activity or exercise.
- Rapid heart rate: An increase in heart rate, called tachycardia, may occur to compensate for the blood's reduced ability to carry oxygen.
- Dizziness or Vertigo: feeling light-headed or faint, especially when you get up.
- Chest pain.
- Visual blur and flying flies or scotomas
- Sometimes impaired consciousness and coma if very severe anemia.
◉ Complications
Some common complications of anemia include:
- Heart problems: Severe or untreated anemia can force the heart to work harder to pump oxygen-rich blood to the body's tissues. Over time, this increased workload can lead to various cardiovascular problems, such as an enlarged heart, heart failure, or irregular heart rhythms.
- Cognitive Impairment: Anemia can cause a decreased supply of oxygen to the brain, leading to difficulty concentrating, memory problems and slowed thinking.
- Complications during pregnancy: Anemia in pregnant women can increase the risk of premature delivery or having a low birth weight baby. It can also cause complications for the mother, such as preeclampsia or postpartum depression.
- Delayed growth and development in children: Anemia in children can hinder their growth and development, both physical and cognitive, if left untreated.
- Increased susceptibility to infections: Anemia can weaken the immune system, making individuals more vulnerable to infections and disease.
◉ Diagnosis
Diagnosis of anemia usually involves several steps to identify the underlying cause of the anemia:
- Medical History: The doctor collects information about the patient's medical history, including family history of anemia, chronic illnesses, medications taken, current symptoms, duration of these symptoms, and potential risk factors.
- Interrogation: The doctor conducts a thorough questioning to understand the symptoms the patient is experiencing, such as fatigue, paleness, dizziness, and other symptoms related to anemia.
- Physical Examination: The doctor performs a complete physical examination to assess pallor of the skin and mucous membranes, presence of jaundice, enlargement of the spleen or liver, and other physical signs that may be associated with anemia.
- Basic Biological Examination: Blood tests are performed to measure the levels of hemoglobin, hematocrit, red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, serum iron, ferritin, vitamin B12, folic acid, reticulocytes, and other blood parameters. These results help identify the type of anemia and its severity.
- Additional tests: Depending on the suspected cause of anemia, additional tests may be performed, such as kidney function tests, liver function tests, auto-immune markers , bone marrow aspirate or biopsy or genetic testing.
◉ Treatment
Treatment for anemia depends on the underlying cause. Some common treatment options for anemia include:
- Iron supplementation: If anemia is caused by iron deficiency, iron supplements may be prescribed.
These supplements can be taken orally or, in severe cases, given intravenously.
- Vitamin supplementation: If anemia is caused by vitamin B12 or folate deficiencies, supplements of these vitamins may be prescribed.
- Treat underlying medical conditions: If anemia is secondary to an underlying medical condition, such as a chronic illness or kidney problem, treatment and management of the underlying conditions can help improve anemia.
- Blood transfusions: In severe cases of anemia where iron or vitamin supplementation is not sufficient, a blood transfusion may be necessary to replenish red blood cell levels and improve blood flow. oxygen carrying capacity.
- Erythropoietin-stimulating agents: In some cases, synthetic versions of the hormone erythropoietin may be prescribed to stimulate the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow.
- Management of complications.