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ANEMIA

Definition

anemia is a condition characterized by a decrease in oxygen carrying capacity of the blood due to a decrease in hemoglobin level.this further leads to decrease oxygen supply to major organs thus leading to a decrease in physiologic activity of the organ.

symptoms of Anemia

the symptoms of anemia depends on the hemoglobin level.

• Men - 13.75g/dl-17.5g/dl
• Women- 12.0-15.5g/dl

hemoglobin level greater than 10g/dl is usually asymptomatic

• hemogobin 8g/dl- 9g/dl- malaise , fatigue , headache
• hemoglobin 6g/dl-7g/dl-dyspnea on exertion , presyncope
• hemoglobin 4g/dl-5g/dl- myocardial infarction , stroke, high output cardiac failure.

types of Anemia

anemia can be classified in different ways , but the best and easiest way to classify anemia is by using the mean corpuscular volume(MCV).normal MCV is 80%- 100%,

• MCV < 80%- Microcytic anemia
• MCV- 80%-100%- normocytic anemia
• MCV> 100%- Macrocytic anemia.

Microcytic Anemia

Microcytic anemia are generally production anemia , it is usually caused by a decrease or absent of factors that are needed for the formation of hemoglobin. hemoglobin as an entity is made up of heme and globin. heme is further broken down into iron and protopophyrin. an understanding of all these components gives a proper understanding of microcytic anemias , we can then classify them into 4.

1. Iron Deficiency Anemia
2. Thalassemia
3. Anemia of Chronic disease
4. Sideroblastic Anemia

Macrocytic Anemia

macrocytic anemia generally is a usually due to a defect in DNA synthesis of RBCs, The initial test needed to classify macrocytic anemia is usually the blood smear. blood smear showing hypersegmented neutrophils(>5 lobes of neutrophils). if hypersegmented neutrophils is positive then its most likely caused by megaloblastic macrocytic anemia , and negative hypersegmented neutrophils is a pointer to non megaloblastic macrocytic anemia.