Anemia is a blood pathology whose characteristic is due to the lack of red blood cells in the blood, which directly affects their composition. The other way in which this disease can develop is when the red blood cells that are in the blood are not necessarily healthy and it is because they do not find enough hemoglobin, which is known as that protein in the blood, whose main function is to provide iron to the torrent blood.
What is anemia
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It is a disease that directly affects those people who have an absence of red blood cells, and in turn, this does not allow the distribution of necessary oxygen throughout the body. Normally, having anemia is equivalent to feeling exhausted. The word anemia comes from the Greek αναιμία (anemia). The word αναιμία comes from the Greek prefix αν- (sin) and the word αιμία (hema, blood), that is, lack of blood.
WHO anemia. According to the World Health Organization, anemia is the reduction in the concentration of hemoglobin.
Symptoms of anemia
There are several symptoms that occur when people have a low number of red blood cells. The body does not receive the sufficient amount of oxygen it requires and begins to externalize with a series of symptoms:
- Weakness or fatigue: inexplicable exhaustion begins, lack of energy to function normally in daily life.
- Difficult breathing
- Dry skin begins with a pale appearance, loses its pinkish tone to acquire a more yellowish one.
- Dizziness, depending on the severity of the anemia.
- Variations in heart rate, such as tachycardia or palpitations.
- The pulse may weaken.
- Headache.
- Cold in the hands and feet.
- Lack of appetite, digestive disorders, and sporadic constipation.
- Menstruation disorders in women of reproductive age.
- Prognosis: it is made to detect a disease and its progress, in many cases diseases develop little by little. For example, people with HIV. It is the advanced knowledge that treating doctors do.
Risk factors for anemia
There are several factors that can increase the risk of developing an anemic picture, here is how to avoid it:
- A diet devoid of certain vitamins.
- Eating a diet low in iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid increases your risk.
- Intestinal disorders such as Crohn's disease or celiac disease, in which the absorption of nutrients in the intestine is impaired.
- Women who have not been through menopause are at increased risk for iron deficiency anemia, due to the loss of red blood cells that occurs with their period.
- Pregnant women who do not take a folic acid multivitamin supplement are at high risk, because it is essential for her and the developing baby.
- Chronic conditions. Conditions such as cancer, kidney failure, or another chronic condition increase your risk, as they can cause a decrease in red blood cells.
- The slow and chronic blood loss from an ulcer or other cause can consume entire supply of iron the body and become anemic box for lack of vitamin B12.
- Family background. If there are relatives who have inherited this disease, such as sickle cell disease, the risk of developing it increases.
- Other factors. Blood diseases and autoimmune disorders, alcoholism, exposure to toxic chemicals, and the use of some medications can affect the production of red blood cells and lead to anemia.
- Those over 65 years of age have a greater risk of presenting anemic pictures.
Causes of anemia
Hereditary diseases: among these is sickle cell disease and there are many forms of presentation.
- Blood loss: blood loss is the most common cause, especially in the case of iron deficiency anemia, it can be mild or chronic. In the case of women with menstrual days that are sometimes abundant and blood loss is considerable. As for the skin, it turns pale or yellowish, but loses its pinkish tone.
- Lack of production of red blood cells: there are health conditions and factors acquired as hereditary, which can prevent the body from producing enough red blood cells.
- Increase in the rate of destruction of red blood cells: A number of diseases and acquired and inherited factors can cause the body to destroy too many red blood cells.
- Enlargement of the spleen: when this organ begins to show deficiency, it increases its speed and immediately begins the destruction of red blood cells, thalassemias and the deficiency of certain enzymes.
- During the first 6 months of gestation: the liquid portion of a woman's blood (plasma) increases faster than the number of red blood cells that are made, that is, the blood becomes thin and can cause anemia in pregnancy, This increases the risk of premature birth, low birth weight, and postpartum depression.
- Pregnancy: pregnant women may have anemia in pregnancy due to low concentrations of iron and folic acid, due to certain changes that occur in the blood.
Consequences of anemia
This disease is an indicator that the person is eating a poor diet. The consequences of anemia in children are serious since they impair the psychomotor and cognitive development of the infant. Some of them are:
- They lack energy all day.
- There is a greater risk of contracting an infectious disease, since the body's defenses are low.
- It impairs brain development.
Types of anemia
Iron deficiency anemia
Iron deficiency (FeP) consists of the absence of systemic Fe deposits, with a potential harmful effect, especially in childhood. If this situation does not improve and is maintained for a long time, iron deficiency anemia (AFe) will develop, with greater clinical repercussions.
Hemolytic anemia
It corresponds to a group of intravascular and extravascular diseases, where there is a deficiency of red blood cells located in the blood, as a consequence of their premature loss.
Megaloblastic anemia
This type has within its characteristics that the erythroid cells are large and in turn the erythrocytes with a medium thickness and also an increase in the concentration of mean corpuscular hemoglobin (HCM), which is related to the size of the erythrocytes, this anemia is determined by ineffective erythropoiesis.
Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia
If you have anemia due to iron folate deficiency, it is important that you frequently include plenty of vitamin B12 and folate in your daily diet. A good source of vitamin B12 is meat, eggs, dairy, enriched breakfast cereals, and some soy products.
Pernicious anemia
This is a product of megaloblastic that occurs due to a low level of vitamin B12, due to the absence of intrinsic factor (FI) due to paralysis of the gastric mucosa or loss of parietal cells that produce it. Given the existence of severe gastric atrophy, there is a decrease in acid and FI production, as well as a subsequent alteration in the absorption of vitamin B12.
Chronic disease anemia
This is part of a chronic inflammatory disorder, frequently due to a chronic infection, an autoimmune disease (specifically, rheumatoid arthritis), kidney disease or cancer; however, this happens at the beginning of any infectious process, in fact it can happen after a surgical intervention or trauma.
Sickle-cell anaemia
It is a disease of a group of inherited blood disorders that damages the hemoglobin located in the red blood cells. Hemoglobin is the portion of the blood that carries oxygen to all parts of the body. When sickle cell or sickle cell anemia occurs, the hemoglobin is strengthened and a crescent shape is formed - hence its name "sickle cell."
Idiopathic aplastic anemia
This disease occurs in some babies who are born without the ability to make the necessary red blood cells. Babies and children who have aplastic anemia usually require blood transfusions to increase their red blood cell count.
Thalassemia
It is a group of hereditary, microcytic, hemolytic anemias, characterized by defective hemoglobin synthesis. Alpha thalassemia is especially common among people of African, Mediterranean, or Southeast Asian descent. Beta thalassemia is more common in people of Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Southeast Asian, or Indian descent. The symptoms are indicative of an anemic condition, bone marrow hyperplasia, hemolysis and, due to having carried out iron overload through many transfusions.
Treatment for anemia
The treatment to overcome this condition depends on the type that the patient presents:
- Iron deficiency: consumption of medicines and foods rich in iron. You must take antacids or antibiotics that contain tetracycline.
- Hemolytic: treatment is modified according to the cause that produced the disease.
- Megaloblastic: this disease presents an absence of folates, therefore, it must be treated with the consumption of folic acid and folinic acid. Until hematological levels are achieved.
- Due to vitamin B12 deficiency: the prescribed treatment for this type is the consumption of ferrous sulfate. It should be ingested as directed by the treating physician. On the other hand, each box of pills, brings instructions about the side effects of the treatment such as: heartburn, nausea, diarrhea, constipation etc. It should be consumed with or shortly after meals to reduce side effects.
- Pernicious: in this it must be treated with injections and consumption of B12 pills. In case of not paying attention, it can send problems in the heart and in the nerves.
Chronic diseases
- Treatment of the underlying disease is essential, usually blood transfusions.
- Sickle-cell anaemia.
- In this case, blood transfusions and bone marrow transplantation, consumption of vitamins and chemotherapies.
- Idiopathic aplastic anemia.
- Consumption of multivitamins, blood and stem cell transfusions.
Thalassemia
- Typically, she is given red blood cell transfusions with or without iron chelation therapy, splenectomy if splenomegaly is visible, allogeneic stem cell transplantation if possible.
- Patients with beta-thalassemia intermedia should undergo follow-up transfusions so as not to overload them with iron. However, suppression of abnormal hematopoiesis by periodic red cell transfusion can help in severe cases.
Recommended diet for patients with anemia
Among the foods for anemia should be consumed those rich in protein, iron, folic acid and B vitamins such as meats, eggs, fish and vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, asparagus, peas, chickpeas and brown rice, these contain high levels of folate.
The body also needs small amounts of vitamin C, riboflavin and copper to produce red blood cells, that is, between these and food, they will stimulate the production of red blood cells.
