Anemia is a medical condition or disease, in which the number of the red blood cells (erythrocytes) and the hemoglobin are decreased under the reference values. In some cases the Anemia is own disease, while in other cases it is only one symptom of another disease.
The most common symptoms of anemia are the feeling of fatigue or weakness. The excessive fatigue often can be caused by many reasons, but if the process continues for a long time, definitely should consult a doctor for diagnosis of the disease. Other important anemia symptoms are also:
* Breathlessness (Shortness of breath)
* Cooling of the limbs (Cool hands and feet)
* Pale skin
* Chest pain
These symptoms are most often following the overload of the heart, which is trying to compensate the reduced oxygen in the blood. The anemia can bring you to heart attack, if it is not treated fast and accurate. The heart is trying to pump larger volume of the blood to the tissues, which causes the breathlessness, headache and fatigue. Important symptoms of anemia are also the poor concentration, chapped lips and flat or even concave nails. Definitely the anemia disease should not be negligeed, as the complication can be serious and really dangerous for the health. The anemia symptoms should be followed strictly by the patient, as usually the disease can seriously hurt the body and all its organs.
The anemia symptoms can go unnoticed for many people as they are mild. In such cases the disease can continue for a long time, as it is not diagnosed without special blood tests. This can be really dangerous, as the anemia is leading to arrhythmias (rapid or irregular heartbeat), which damages the heart, causing its increase and eventually lead to heart failure. Of course the more serious anemia conditions can damage the other organs in the body, as the blood does not deliver enough oxygen to them. The anemia disease can affect both genders, but however the statistics from NAMCS and NHAMCS are giving the following results, which are showing that women are more vulnerable for such diseases.
It is good to know that no-one is protected from anemia, as it is a common disease that affects both genders and all ages.
If you have the several of the common anemia symptoms, definitely should contact a doctor and tell the complaints, which you have and the symptoms, which you noticed. The diagnosis of the anemia is done by medical history, medical examination and laboratory tests. These methods are used to determine the cause, severity and the treatment of the specific type of anemia. In fact, anemia is often found in blood tests, aimed at the diagnosis of another disease. The diagnosis of the anemia is made in 3 stages:
First Stage: getting medical and family history of the disease, usually the diagnosis is made by the symptoms of anemia, history of diseases and nutrition.
Second Stage: physical examination is carried out to determine the severity and possible causes of the disease. The doctors are listening the heart tones and lung, which can give a sign for in-normal activity. Also is checked the size of the liver and spleen. This will give information for the proper work of the organs in the body, which can be first hurt by anemia. Also is possible to be made gynecological or rectal examination of the patient.
Anemia Third Stage: The laboratory tests and procedures are made for actual establishment of the disease. The main diagnostic laboratory test for anemia is the complete blood count, which gives the following information ג€“ Hemoglobin and Hematocrit reference values, number of erythrocytes, leukocytes and trombocytes and mean corpuscular volume.
Sometimes in some diagnosis of the anemia is needed to investigate the changes in renal function. On suspicion of hidden gastrointestinal bleeding, it is necessary to be made faeces examinations for traces of blood. In some cases of anemia for diagnosis is needed bone marrow biopsy.
After the symptoms of anemia are showing that the patient has the disease and the diagnosis proved this, the anemia should be treated. The basic purpose o anemia treatment is increase of the bloodג€™s ability to transport oxygen to the cells and organs of the body. For this purpose it is needed to increase the number of the erythrocytes and the level of the hemoglobin. The simple treatment of anemia, will not treat the cause of anemia, so the doctors should care about this too. The anemia is serious disease, which usually has different complications, forms and purpose, so the treatment should be considered with these facts.
Usually the anemia treatment includes nutrition supplements, diet, medical procedures and in the heaviest forms of the diseases even blood transfusion or surgery. As some of the anemia types are caused by lack of vitamins or iron substances in the body, the nutrition is easy way to compensate this. The most commonly is taken vitamin B12 and the folic acid. Sometimes is prescribed also vitamin C, which increases the iron absorption in the digestive system.
In the hardest forms of anemia, the medical procedures include blood transfusion transplantation of bone marrow or stem cell and surgical operations.
Recently I had an interview with Jason Holmes a certified pharmacist. He said, only a doctor or pharmacist can decide whether a patient is suffering with anemia. However, Holmes has given us few symptoms.
As anemia treatment is involved mostly with blood tests and iron treatments, it should be done definitely under the supervision of a physician. Intake of liquid iron medications or iron tablets will be the treatment options to the patients who are suffering with Iron-deficiency anemia. Intake of excess iron may cause serious side effects and hence all these treatment processes should be done on certified pharmacy technicians advice only.