AN E M I A
INTRODUCTION
ANEMIA IS A PROBLEM OF NOT HAVING ENOUGH HEALTHY RED BLOOD
CELLS OR HEMOGLOBIN TO CARRY OXYGEN TO THE BODY’S TISSUES.
HEMOGLOBIN IS A PROTEIN FOUND IN RED CELLS THAT CARRIES
OXYGEN FROM THE LUNGS TO ALL OTHER ORGANS IN THE BODY.
HAVING ANEMIA CAN CAUSE TIREDNESS, WEAKNESS AND SHORTNESS
OF BREATH.
SYMPTOMS
POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS OF ANEMIA INCLUDE :
TIREDNESS.
WEAKNESS.
SHORTNESS OF BREATH.
PALE OR YELLOWISH SKIN, WHICH MIGHT BE MORE OBVIOUS ON WHITE SKIN THAN ON BLACK OR BROWN SKIN.
IRREGULAR HEARTBEAT.
DIZZINESS OR LIGHTHEADEDNESS.
CHEST PAIN.
COLD HANDS AND FEET.
• HEADACHES.
TYPES
APLASTIC ANEMIA
IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA
SICKLE CELL ANEMIA
THALASSEMIA
VITAMIN DEFICIENCY ANEMIA
CAUSES
IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA : TOO LITTLE IRON IN THE BODY CAUSES THIS MOST
COMMON TYPE OF ANEMIA. BONE MARROW NEEDS IRON TO MAKE
HEMOGLOBIN. WITHOUT ENOUGH IRON, THE BODY CAN’T MAKE ENOUGH
HEMOGLOBIN FOR RED BLOOD CELLS.
• PREGNANT PEOPLE CAN GET THIS TYPE OF ANEMIA IF THEY DON’T TAKE IRON
SUPPLEMENTS. BLOOD LOSS ALSO CAN CAUSE IT. BLOOD LOSS MIGHT BE
FROM HEAVY MENSTRUAL BLEEDING, AN ULCER, CANCER OR REGULAR USE
OF SOME PAIN RELIEVERS, ESPECIALLY ASPIRIN.
CONT’D...
VITAMIN DEFICIENCY ANEMIA. BESIDES IRON, THE BODY NEEDS FOLATE AND
VITAMIN B-12 TO MAKE ENOUGH HEALTHY RED BLOOD CELLS. A DIET THAT
DOESN’T HAVE ENOUGH OF THESE AND OTHER KEY NUTRIENTS CAN RESULT IN
THE BODY NOT MAKING ENOUGH RED BLOOD CELLS.
• ALSO, SOME PEOPLE CAN’T ABSORB VITAMIN B-12. THIS CAN LEAD TO
VITAMIN DEFICIENCY ANEMIA, ALSO CALLED PERNICIOUS ANEMIA.
CONT’D..
• APLASTIC ANEMIA. THIS RARE, LIFE-THREATENING ANEMIA OCCURS WHEN THE
BODY DOESN’T MAKE ENOUGH NEW BLOOD CELLS. CAUSES OF APLASTIC
ANEMIA INCLUDE INFECTIONS, CERTAIN MEDICINES, AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES
AND BEING IN CONTACT WITH TOXIC CHEMICALS.
• ANEMIA OF INFLAMMATION. DISEASES THAT CAUSE ONGOING INFLAMMATION
CAN KEEP THE BODY FROM MAKING ENOUGH RED BLOOD CELLS. EXAMPLES
ARE CANCER, HIV/AIDS, RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS, KIDNEY DISEASE AND
CROHN’S DISEASE.
CONTD...
• ANEMIAS LINKED TO BONE MARROW DISEASE. DISEASES SUCH AS LEUKEMIA
AND MYELOFIBROSIS CAN AFFECT HOW THE BONE MARROW MAKES BLOOD.
THE EFFECTS OF THESE TYPES OF DISEASES RANGE FROM MILD TO LIFE-
THREATENING.
• HEMOLYTIC ANEMIA. THIS GROUP OF ANEMIAS IS FROM RED BLOOD CELLS
BEING DESTROYED FASTER THAN BONE MARROW CAN REPLACE THEM.
CERTAIN BLOOD DISEASES INCREASE HOW FAST RED BLOOD CELLS ARE
DESTROYED. SOME TYPES OF HEMOLYTIC ANEMIA CAN BE PASSED THROUGH
FAMILIES, WHICH IS CALLED INHERITED.
CONT’D...
• SICKLE CELL ANEMIA. THIS INHERITED AND SOMETIMES SERIOUS CONDITION
IS A TYPE OF HEMOLYTIC ANEMIA. AN UNUSUAL HEMOGLOBIN FORCES RED
BLOOD CELLS INTO AN UNUSUAL CRESCENT SHAPE, CALLED A SICKLE. THESE
IRREGULAR BLOOD CELLS DIE TOO SOON. THAT CAUSES AN ONGOING
SHORTAGE OF RED BLOOD CELLS.
RISK FACTORS
• A DIET THAT DOESN’T HAVE ENOUGH OF CERTAIN VITAMINS AND MINERALS.
• PROBLEMS WITH THE SMALL INTESTINE.
• MENSTRUAL PERIODS
• PREGNANCY.
• ONGOING, CALLED CHRONIC, CONDITIONS.
• FAMILY HISTORY
• OTHER FACTORS.
PREVENTION
• IRON
• FOLATE
• VITAMIN B12
• VITAMIN C
THANK YOU
