Anemia One of the most common types of blood deficiencies is
anemia. When a person is anemic, they are unable to keep the count of their healthy red blood cells at a high level. When the cell levels become too low, there is not enough oxygen being transported to tissues and vital organs of the body. There are different types, forms and severities of anemia, and each of these instances can be long-term or short lived. Woman and those who are chronically ill are at a greater risk of developing this disease. Although it is a common blood disorder, it is a serious danger to a person's health. Some of the
symptoms related to
anemia include, poor diet,
medication reactions, a high level of blood loss (through some sort of injury,
surgery, or menstrual cycle) and problems within the bone marrow. Those who are at an increased risk of developing anemia are women who have heavy menstrual periods, those who are pregnant, older age, and people who have diseases that can trigger anemia. In order to determine whether or not a person has developed anemia, certain tests have to be done by a doctor. The only
symptoms prevalent in those who suffer from anemia are
fatigue, chest pain and shortness of breath. Different complications can arise from anemic patients. Since anemia is a disease that lowers the oxygen level in the blood, it can lead to more severe effects on different organs such as the heart. If the heart is affected by the loss of oxygen, heart attack or heart failure may be a dangerous occurrence. There are different forms of anemia. The most common form in anemic patients is iron deficiency. This simply means that a person does not have enough iron in his or her system to create hemoglobin. It is possible to retain iron without a supplement by consuming the following items, clams, spinach, lentils, and cashews. The next is vitamin deficiency anemia. This occurs when the body lacks vitamin B-12 and folic acid. In this form of anemia, the body is creating red blood cells but is unable to deliver the oxygen to tissue and organs in the proper way. Supplements are a good way to gain back the lost nutrients, but a patient can also consume dark-leafy green veggies, pork, poultry, shell fish and whole grains. Certain diseases such as kidney disease increases the risk for developing anemia. These diseases alter the body's ability to create healthy blood cells. Unfortunately, some anemias diseases are inherited. If anemia runs in the family, there is an increased risk of developing this anemia. Diagnosis and
treatment depends on the specific case of anemia that a person may have and its severity. Anemia is sometimes treated with blood transfusions and the prescription drug erythropoietin. The most common form of treatment is having the patient take iron supplements to boost the level of healthy red blood cells. It is important to discuss these matters with a doctor in order to determine which treatment is correct.
