Anemia is defined as a low number of red blood cells. In a routine blood test, anemia is reported as a low hemoglobin or hematocrit. Hemoglobin is the main protein in your red blood cells. It carries oxygen, and delivers it throughout your body. If you have anemia, your hemoglobin level will be low too. If it is low enough, your tissues or organs may not get enough oxygen. Symptoms of anemia -- like fatigue or shortness of breath -- happen because your organs aren't getting what they need to work the way they should. Anemia is the most common blood condition in the U.S. It affects almost 6% of the population. Women, young children, and people with long-term diseases are more likely to have anemia. Important things to remember are:
There are many types of anemia. All have different causes and treatments. Some forms -- like the mild anemia that happens during pregnancy -- aren’t a major concern. But some types of anemia maymay reflect a serious underlying medical condition The signs of anemia can be so mild that you might not even notice them. At a certain point, as your blood cells decrease, symptoms often develop. Depending on the cause of the anemia, symptoms may include:
There are more than 400 types of anemia, and they’re divided into three groups:
Anemia Caused by Blood Loss You can lose red blood cells through bleeding. This can happen slowly over a long period of time, and you might not notice. Causes can include:
Anemia Caused by Decreased or Faulty Red Blood Cell Production With this type of anemia, your body may not create enough blood cells, or they may not work the way they should. This can happen because there’s something wrong with your red blood cells or because you don’t have enough minerals and vitamins for your red blood cells to form normally. Conditions associated with these causes of anemia include: Bone marrow and stem cell problems may keep your body from producing enough red blood cells. Some of the stem cells in the marrow that’s in the center of your bones will develop into red blood cells. If there aren’t enough stem cells, if they don’t work right, or if they’re replaced by other cells such as cancer cells, you might get anemia. Anemia caused by bone marrow or stem cell problems includes:
Iron-deficiency anemia happens because you don’t have enough of the mineral iron in your body. Your bone marrow needs iron to make hemoglobin, the part of the red blood cell that takes oxygen to your organs. Iron-deficiency anemia can be caused by:
Sickle cell anemia is a disorder that, in the U.S., affects mainly African Americans and Hispanic Americans. Your red blood cells, which are usually round, become crescent-shaped because of a problem in your genes. Anemia results when the red blood cells break down quickly, so oxygen doesn’t get to your organs. The crescent-shaped red blood cells can also get stuck in tiny blood vessels and cause pain. Vitamin-deficiency anemia can happen when you aren’t getting enough vitamin B12 and folate. You need these two vitamins to make red blood cells. This kind of anemia can be caused by:
Other causes of vitamin deficiency include medications, alcohol abuse, and intestinal diseases such as tropical sprue. Anemia associated with other chronic conditions usually occurs in the setting of long-standing inflammation. Inflammatory proteins slow the bone marrow's production of young red blood cells in a variety of ways. Conditions that cause this type of anemia include: Anemia Caused by Destruction of Red Blood Cells When red blood cells are fragile and can’t handle the stress of traveling through your body, they may burst, causing what’s called hemolytic anemia. You might have this condition at birth, or it could come later. Sometimes, the causes of hemolytic anemia are unclear, but they can include:
A complete blood count (CBC) test will measure your red blood cells, hemoglobin, and other parts of your blood. Your doctor will ask about your family history and your medical history after the CBC. They’ll probably do some tests, including:
Your treatment will depend on your type of anemia. There are lot of causes, so there are also many treatments available.
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