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Symptomatic Anemia
Anemia is a pathologic deficiency in the amount of oxygen-carrying hemoglobin in the red blood cells. It can result from a failure of red-blood-cell or hemoglobin production. When anemia results from another disease, it is referred to as symptomatic or secondary anemia. Some common causes of symptomatic anemia are cancer, kidney disease and autoimmune disorders 3.
Types
There are more than 400 different types of anemia. Their causes can be divided into three categories: 1) anemia caused by blood loss; 2) anemia caused by decreased or faulty red-blood-cell production; 3) anemia caused by destruction of red blood cells.
Symptoms
A List of Physiological Diseases
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Anemia symptoms include fatigue, fainting, shortness of breath and palpitations. Patients may also appear pale. In cases of anemia due to stomach or intestinal bleeding, the stool may appear black or bloody.
- Anemia symptoms include fatigue, fainting, shortness of breath and palpitations.
- In cases of anemia due to stomach or intestinal bleeding, the stool may appear black or bloody.
Cancer
Cancers, particularly those of the bone marrow, can alter the production of blood cells and produce anemia. This can result from the cancer cells using available nutrients and resources to grow or from cancer medications that inhibit replication of normal bone marrow cells in addition to cancer cells.
Kidney Disease
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Healthy kidneys make erythropoietin, which stimulates the bone marrow to produce blood cells. Kidney disease can result in decreased erythropoietin production, which then reduces blood cell production, resulting in anemia.
Hypothyroidism
Iodine deficiency is the foremost cause of hypothyroidism. In countries where iodine intake is inadequate, autoimmune thyroid disease is most common. One third of patients with hypothyroidism develop anemia, with decreased red-blood-cell mass and erythropoietin resistance. The cause for this association is unclear, but it may be due to mineral interactions or autoimmune antibodies.
- Iodine deficiency is the foremost cause of hypothyroidism.
- One third of patients with hypothyroidism develop anemia, with decreased red-blood-cell mass and erythropoietin resistance.
Autoimmune Disorders
Autoimmune hemolytic anemia occurs when the immune system attacks the red blood cells, leading to their destruction (hemolysis). Drugs such as methyldopa and fludarabine can cause this condition.
Treatment
There are several treatments available, depending on the underlying cause of the anemia. Nutritional treatments include iron and vitamin B-12 or folic acid. Other treatments focus on the primary disease in an effort to eliminate autoimmunity, infections, inflammation, or malignancies. Erythropoietin may also be given to stimulate blood cell production. In the event that blood cell counts are dangerously low or fail to respond to treatment, blood transfusions may also be given.
- There are several treatments available, depending on the underlying cause of the anemia.
- Other treatments focus on the primary disease in an effort to eliminate autoimmunity, infections, inflammation, or malignancies.
Related Articles
References
- Google Books: Symptomatic Anaemia
- Mayo Clinic: Anemia
- Cancer Supportive Care: Anemia and Cancer
- Sources
- American Cancer Society. Why people with cancer might need blood transfusions. Accessed February 2015.
- Puthenparambil J, Lechner K, Kornek G. Autoimmune hemolytic anemia as a paraneoplastic phenomenon in solid tumors: A critical analysis of 52 cases reported in the literature. Wiener klinische Wochenschrift. 2010;122(7-8):229-236.
Writer Bio
Dr. Bob Goat is a health and fitness writer. His research experience includes embryology, immunodiagnostics, genetic engineering and stem cells with expertise in gene and protein expression modification and embryonic development. He has had work published in academic journals, presented research at several national and international conferences and received numerous awards. He has a Ph.D. in medical science.