Anemia By: Rebekah Book Hour 3

History of Anemia At first red blood cells were not deemed important to the body. It was not until the Englishman, William Hewson, studied them that people really started to see their importance. Hewson published his opinion that there were so many red blood cells that they had to be important. This got him the title, “the father of hematology.” “Anemia” was adopted in the beginning of the nineteenth century as a clinical term referring to pallor of the skin and mucous membranes. As you can see at first no one knew that clinical anemia is caused by a lower count of red blood cells. This was because there was no way to count red blood cells. Counting red blood cells was first done by Karl Vierordt in 1852. Unfortunately his technique was too tedious to gain widespread use, however his student, H. Welcher counted the cells in a patient with chlorosis or iron deficiency anemia. The patient had significantly less red blood cells compared to a normal person. Now everyone knew that the number of red blood cells was behind clinical anemia!

Who is affected by Anemia People are at risk for anemia if they have a poor diet, intestinal disorders, chronic diseases, infections, and other conditions. People who are most at risk though, are pregnant women and people with chronic medical conditions. Babies are often at risk because of low iron levels in their diet during their first year of life. Also older adults who are 65 or older are at risk because they are more prone to chronic diseases or nutritional disorders. Some types of anemia run in families, such as sickle cell anemia and thalassemia, but studies have shown that anemia seems to affect African American or Hispanic women more often than other groups of people. Women under the age of 49 tend to have anemia much more than men. This is because that is child bearing age and when a woman is pregnant they have an increase of blood volume and the body can’t make red blood cells fast enough. Pre-menopausal woman under the age of 49 can be iron deficient, regardless of pregnancy. Weather you are in any of these groups or not, you can still be at risk of getting anemia or iron deficiency!

Symptoms When you have anemia or iron deficiency you have a lack of oxygen so you may experience the following symptoms. Shortness of breath Dizziness Fast or irregular heartbeat Pounding or “whooshing”in your ears Headache Cold hands or feet Pale or yellow skin Easy fatigue and loss of energy Leg cramps Insomnia Difficulty concentrating The body has an ability to compensate for early anemia, so you may not notice the symptoms at first.

How does anemia affect the body? Anemia is when you have a low count of red blood cells in your circulatory system. In the long run anemia can cause serious health issues such as advanced kidney disease, hypothyroidism, and other chronic diseases, such as: cancer, lupus, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis. Anemia forces the heart to work harder in order to make up for the lack of red blood cells so you could damage your heart. Pernicious anemia is considered deadly, but it is easy to treat with B-12 injections or supplements, however if left untreated it can lead to severe complications.

Causes of anemia Anemia happens when blood does not have enough blood cells or red blood cells are lacking in sufficient hemoglobin. Blood loss is one common cause of anemia. Another cause is loss in the body’s ability to make new red blood cells. Diseases that lead to destruction of red blood cells is another cause. Bleeding can cause a loss in red blood cells quicker than they can be replaced. A diet without meat or with foods lacking vitamin B12 can be a cause of anemia. A lack of iron in their diet can be a cause of anemia in toddlers..

Treatments Normally a treatment for iron deficiency anemia includes Iron supplements and changes in diet. If the cause is bleeding the source of bleeding must be stopped. This may involve surgery. If the case of anemia is lack of vitamin B12 you may need B12 shots. For aplastic anemia you may need a blood transfusion or bone marrow transplant. Plasmapheresis is another treatment for anemia. Some treatments for sickle cell anemia include administration of oxygen, pain relieving drugs, or oral and intravenous fluids. Thalassemia anemia may be treated with blood transfusions, folic acid supplements, medication, a splenectomy (removal of the spleen ), or a blood and bone marrow stem cell transplant.

Prevention One way to prevent anemia is to eat lots of iron rich foods such as: tofu, green and leafy vegetables, lean red meat, lentils, beans, and iron-fortified cereals and breads. You can also eat food and drinks rich in vitamin c as well. Avoid drinking coffee and tea with meals because they may affect your iron absorption. Also make sure to get enough B12 in your diet.

What would life be like with anemia? Most people who are anemic live normal lives aside from taking medications. However anemia typically caused by chronic disease, severe, or left untreated can have lasting or threatening effects. Some of these include: Arrhythmia- When your heart beats too fast or unevenly and can lead to heart disease or failure. Damage to your organs occurs when your organs do not get enough oxygen. Immune system weakness which is especially bad if you already have cancer

Bibliography https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/iron-deficiency-anemia https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/understanding-anemia-basics#1 https://www.healthline.com/health/pernicious-anemia https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20351360 https://www.everydayhealth.com/anemia/anemia-basics.aspx https://familydoctor.org/condition/anemia/ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anemia/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351366 https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=117312

BYE STAY GOLD