Iron deficiency anemia pathophysiology: Difference between revisions
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
| Line 20: | Line 20: | ||
* Regulation of iron balance occurs mainly in the gastrointestinal tract through absorption. | * Regulation of iron balance occurs mainly in the gastrointestinal tract through absorption. | ||
* When the absorptive mechanism is operating normally, a person maintains functional iron and tends to establish iron stores. | * When the absorptive mechanism is operating normally, a person maintains functional iron and tends to establish iron stores. | ||
* The percentage of iron absorbed (i.e., iron bioavailability) can vary from less than 1% to greater than 50%. | |||
* The main factor controlling iron absorption is the amount of iron stored in the body. | |||
* The gastrointestinal tract increases iron absorption when the body's iron stores are low and decreases absorption when stores are sufficient. An increased rate of red blood cell production can also stimulate iron uptake severalfold | |||
* The capacity of the body to absorb iron from the diet depends on the amount of iron in the body, the rate of red blood cell production, the amount and kind of iron in the diet, and the presence of absorption enhancers and inhibitors in the diet. | * The capacity of the body to absorb iron from the diet depends on the amount of iron in the body, the rate of red blood cell production, the amount and kind of iron in the diet, and the presence of absorption enhancers and inhibitors in the diet. | ||
Revision as of 15:34, 18 September 2012
|
Iron deficiency anemia Microchapters |
|
Diagnosis |
|---|
|
Treatment |
|
Case Studies |
|
Iron deficiency anemia pathophysiology On the Web |
|
American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Iron deficiency anemia pathophysiology |
|
Risk calculators and risk factors for Iron deficiency anemia pathophysiology |
Please help WikiDoc by adding more content here. It's easy! Click here to learn about editing.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Physiology
- In the human body, iron is present in all cells and has several vital functions such as:
- A carrier of oxygen to the tissues from the lungs in the form of hemoglobin (Hb)
- Facilitator of oxygen use and storage in the muscles as myoglobin
- Transport medium for electrons within the cells in the form of cytochromes
- Integral part of enzyme reactions in various tissues.
- Total body iron averages approximately 3.8 g in men and 2.3 g in women.
Pathophysiology
- There are several mechanisms that control human iron metabolism and safeguard against iron deficiency.
- Regulation of iron balance occurs mainly in the gastrointestinal tract through absorption.
- When the absorptive mechanism is operating normally, a person maintains functional iron and tends to establish iron stores.
- The percentage of iron absorbed (i.e., iron bioavailability) can vary from less than 1% to greater than 50%.
- The main factor controlling iron absorption is the amount of iron stored in the body.
- The gastrointestinal tract increases iron absorption when the body's iron stores are low and decreases absorption when stores are sufficient. An increased rate of red blood cell production can also stimulate iron uptake severalfold
- The capacity of the body to absorb iron from the diet depends on the amount of iron in the body, the rate of red blood cell production, the amount and kind of iron in the diet, and the presence of absorption enhancers and inhibitors in the diet.