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Anemia: Cell Anemia
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Anemia is a process, not a disease, and is the most common disorder of the blood. Anemia occurs when the amount of red blood cells or hemoglobin (oxygen-carrying protein in the blood) in the blood becomes low, causing the tissues of the body to be deprived of oxygen-rich blood. It is characterized by a reduction in size, number, or color of red blood cells (RBC) which results in reduced oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. The blood of an anemic person has trouble carrying oxygen to tissues and organs, in a sense, become "starved" of oxygen and without oxygen, the tissues cannot produce energy to function. In order for the body to stay healthy, organs and tissues need a steady supply of oxygen.
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Anemia, like a fever, is a symptom of disease that requires investigation to determine the underlying etiology. Often, practicing physicians overlook mild anemia. Anemia is strictly defined as a decrease in red blood cell (RBC) mass. Methods for measuring RBC mass are time consuming, are expensive, and usually require transfusion of radiolabeled erythrocytes. Thus, in practice, anemia is usually discovered and quantified by measurement of the RBC count, hemoglobin (Hb) concentration, and hematocrit (Hct). These values should be interpreted cautiously because they are concentrations affected by changes in plasma volume. For example, dehydration elevates these values, and increased plasma volume in pregnancy can diminish them without affecting the RBC mass.
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Anemia may be defined as any condition resulting from a significant decrease in the total body erythrocyte mass. Measurement of total body rbc mass requires special radiolabeling techniques that are not amenable to general medical diagnostic work. Measurements typically substituted for rbc mass determination take advantage of the body's tendency to maintain normal total blood volume by dilution of the depleted rbc component with plasma. This adjustment results in decrease of the total blood hemoglobin concentration, the rbc count, and the hematocrit. Therefore, a pragmatic definition of anemia is a state which exists when the hemoglobin is less than 12 g/dL or the hematocrit is less than 37 cL/L. Anemia may exist as a laboratory finding in a subjectively healthy individual, because the body can, within limits, compensate for the decreased red cell mass.
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Anemia occurs because patients can't produce enough red blood cells or because red blood cells are lost through bleeding or destroyed faster than they can be produced. The production of red blood cells in the bone marrow is called erythropoiesis. Erythropoiesis is controlled by red blood cell growth factors. Erythropoietin is the major blood cell growth factor that increases red blood cell production in the bone marrow. Erythropoietin is produced by cells in the kidney. When kidney cells detect a decrease in tissue oxygen, erythropoietin is released into the circulation.
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Anemia treatment is based upon the cause of your particular type of anemia. Most anemias can be managed through careful medication or dietary supplementation. Commonly, vitamin injections or iron supplements are enough to rectify the blood disorder. Other anemias, like sickle cell anemia, have no cure and can cause serious physical damage. Speak with your health care provider about the treatment that is best suited for you.
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Anemia is defined as "a pathologic deficiency in the amount of oxygen-carrying hemoglobin in the red blood cells." It is a common problem for cancer patients and often results from the therapies used to suppress or control tumors. Anemia is associated with fatigue - a feeling of weakness or diminished physical and mental capacity unrelieved by rest (fatigue). Additional symptoms include diminished ability to perform daily functions and possibly impaired cognitive function, headache, dizziness, chest pain and shortness of breath, nausea, depression and occasionally pain. These symptoms are often complicated by coexisting disease(s).There are many compromises that are necessary when one has symptomatic anemia. This can affect the tolerability of therapy.
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Cell Anemia