Anemia

Anemia happens when your blood doesn't have enough hemoglobin. Hemoglobin helps red blood cells carry oxygen from your lungs to all parts of your body.

Causes of Anemia

There are many types of anemia, all with different causes:

• Iron deficiency anemia (IDA). IDA is the most common type of anemia. IDA happens when you don't have enough iron in your body. You need iron to make hemoglobin. This can happen when you lose blood from problems like heavy periods, ulcers, colon polyps, or colon cancer. A diet that doesn't have enough iron in it can also cause IDA. Pregnancy can also cause IDA if there's not enough iron for the mother and fetus.

• Megaloblastic (or vitamin deficiency) anemia. This most often happens when your body doesn't get enough folic acid or vitamin B-12. These vitamins help your body keep healthy blood and a healthy nervous system. With this type of anemia, your body makes red blood cells that can't deliver oxygen right. Folic acid supplements (pills) can treat this type of anemia. You can also get folic acid in beans and legumes; citrus fruits and juices; wheat bran and other whole grains; dark green leafy vegetables; and poultry, pork, shellfish, and liver.

• Underlying diseases. Certain diseases can hurt the body's ability to make red blood cells. For example, people with kidney disease, especially those getting dialysis (takes out wastes from your blood if your kidneys can't), are at higher risk for developing anemia. Their kidneys can't create enough hormones to make blood cells, and iron is lost in dialysis.

• Inherited blood disease. If you have a blood disease in your family, there is a higher risk that you will also have this disease. One type of inherited blood disease is sickle cell anemia. Instead of having normal red blood cells that move through blood vessels easily, sickle cells are hard and have a curved edge. These cells cannot squeeze through small blood vessels and block the organs from getting blood. Your body destroys sickle red cells quickly, but it can't make new red blood cells fast enough. This causes anemia.

• Aplastic anemia. This rare problem happens when your body doesn't make enough red blood cells. Since this affects the white blood cells too, there is a higher risk for infections and bleeding that can't be stopped.

Symptoms of Anemia

Anemia takes some time to develop. In the beginning, you may not have any signs or they may be mild. But as it gets worse, you may have these symptoms:

• fatigue and weakness
• not doing well in work or school
• low body temperature
• pale skin
• rapid heartbeat
• shortness of breath
• chest pain
• dizziness
• irritability
• numbness or coldness in your hands and feet
• headache

Tests of Anemia

Anemia is diagnosed by a blood test. If you have anemia, your health care provider (HCP) may want to do other tests to find out what's causing it, like ulcers (sore on the lining of the stomach or duodenum [beginning of the small intestine]) or polyps (growths).

Treatment of Anemia

It depends on the cause of the anemia. For example, treatment for sickle cell anemia is different than treatment for a diet low in iron or folic acid. Talk to your HCP about the best treatment for the cause of your anemia.

Anemia Continued on Next page.

Anemia

Health

This is meant to be an informational exercise and NOT a medical consultation. Your doctor is the only one who can best assess your situation and offer you medical advice.