ANEMIA
What is Anemia?
Anemia is a process, not a disease, and is the most common disorder of the blood. Anemia occurs when the amount of red blood cells or hemoglobin (oxygen-carrying protein in the blood) in the blood becomes low, causing the tissues of the body to be deprived of oxygen-rich blood. It is characterized by a reduction in size, number, or color of red blood cells (RBC) which results in reduced oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. The blood of an anemic person has trouble carrying oxygen to tissues and organs, in a sense, become "starved" of oxygen and without oxygen, the tissues cannot produce energy to function. In order for the body to stay healthy, organs and tissues need a steady supply of oxygen.
There are several kinds of anemia produced by
a variety of underlying causes, but the most common and most
severe type of anemia, iron-deficiency anemia (IDA). Just as
the name implies, this form of anemia is due to insufficient
iron.
Other common causes of anemia include: eating inadequate amounts of iron-rich foods, a deficiency of Vitamin B-12, a deficiency of folic acid, or poor iron absorption by the body.
How Much Iron Does a Woman Need?
The body recycles iron, so when a cell dies the iron is used to produce new cells. Due to the body's efficient reuse of iron, iron has a relatively small Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA). The RDA of iron for postmenopausal women is 10 milligrams; women of childbearing age (11-50 years) as well as nursing mothers require 15 milligrams, and pregnant women 30 milligrams. A multitude of national nutrition surveys report that as many as 90% of women do not consume enough iron.
How is Anemia Diagnosed?
Anemia is diagnosed by a blood test, either by a fingerstick in a physician's office, or by a blood test done in a laboratory.
What are the Consequences of Being Anemic?
Mild anemia does not have any significant long-term consequences. However, as the anemia becomes more severe, there are medical problems which may arise. The most serious of these involve the heart. Severe anemia may cause a condition called high-output heart failure, where the heart must work harder to provide enough oxygen to the brain and other internal organs. The heart beats faster and increases the amount of blood that is delivered per minute. When this condition occurs in individuals that have existing heart disease, the heart may be unable to keep up with this increased demand, and symptoms of heart failure such as difficulty breathing and leg swelling may occur. Individuals who have coronary artery disease, or narrowing of the blood vessels supplying blood to the heart, may develop symptoms of angina, the pain associated with an insufficient blood flow to the heart muscle. Depending on the age of the woman and the degree of coronary artery disease, angina may develop with even mild anemia. In severe cases, the heart muscle may be permanently injured, and the woman will be at increased risk for a heart attack.
How Can Developing Anemia be Prevented?
Iron-deficiency anemia can be prevented by control
of bleeding and restoration of adequate iron supplies by iron
supplements. Bleeding caused by uterine abnormalities such as
fibroids is often controlled with the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
agents (such as ibuprofen or naproxyn) or oral contraceptives.
Mild bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract is controlled
either by acid-blocking agents which allow ulcers to heal, or,
if the bleeding is from polyps in the colon, by removal of the
polyps.