Anaemia

Question 1

What is anaemia>

Answer 1

Decreased haemoglobin content and therefore reduced oxygen transport.

Cellular metabolism is reduced.

Question 2

What are the 4 types of anaemia?

Answer 2

Iron deficient anaemia
Pernicious anaemia
Sickle cell anaemia
Aplastic anaemia

Question 3

What is iron deficient anaemia?

Answer 3

Low iron levels
Most common type of anaemia

Question 4

How is iron deficient anaemia diagnosed?

Answer 4

CBC
Blood smear tests

Question 5

What are the causes of iron deficiency anaemia?

Answer 5

Blood loss - GI bleeds, menstruation, peptic ulcers.
Poor diet
Pregnancy
Absorption problem eg bowel surgery, colitis.

Question 6

What are the signs and symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia?

Answer 6

Pallor
Lethargy
Irritability - hypoxia
SOB on exertion
Degenerative changed to hair
Tachycardia
Delayed healing
Menstrual irregularities

Question 7

What is pernicious anaemia?

Answer 7

Vitamin B12 or folate deficiency affects the body’s ability to produce fully functioning red blood cells.

Question 8

What does pernicious mean?

Answer 8

Destructive, injurious or deadly

Question 9

What does pernicious anaemia destroy?

Answer 9

Attack parietal cells

Question 10

What causes pernicious anaemia?

Answer 10

Unknown
Possibly genetic
Older people are more susceptible.

Question 11

What is the treatment for pernicious anaemia?

Answer 11

Vitamin B12 IM injections.

Question 12

What are the signs and symptoms of pernicious anaemia?

Answer 12

Same as iron deficient + irreversible nerve damage.

Question 13

What do the red blood cells look like in pernicious anaemia?

Answer 13

Appear large
Oval

Question 14

What is aplastic anaemia?

Answer 14

Where the bone marrow and stem cells do not produce enough blood cells. It is also called bone marrow failure and can happen suddenly (acute) or develop over a period of time (chronic).

Question 15

What are red bone marrow bones?

Answer 15

Sternum
Ribs
Pelvic girdle

Question 16

What causes aplastic anaemia?

Answer 16

Autoimmune
Possibly genetic
Some medications
Exposure to toxins

Question 17

What is the peak onset for aplastic anaemia?

Answer 17

Early childhood and 20-25 year olds.

Question 18

What are the signs and symptoms of aplastic anaemia?

Answer 18

Brusing
Bleeding
Repeated infections
Same as iron deficient anaemia

Question 19

What is the treatment of aplastic anaemia?

Answer 19

Bone marrow transplant
Blood transfusions
Immunosuppressive therapy
Androgens such as danazol

Question 20

What is sickle cell disease?

Answer 20

The name for a group of inherited health conditions that affect the red blood cells. The most serious type of this is sickle cell anaemia.

Particularly common in africans and caribbeans

Question 21

What is sickle cell anaemia?

Answer 21

Abnormal haemoglobin production
When deoxygenated, the haemoglobin crystallises and alters the shape of the erythrocyte - from a disc to a sickle.

Question 22

What causes sickle cell anaemia?

Answer 22

Inherited conditions
Recessive gene
Sickle cell trait
Sickle cell anaemia
Presents over 6 months old

Question 23

What are the many complications of sickle cell anaemia?

Answer 23

Short cell lifespan (20days)
Splenomegaly
Dactylics
Leg ulcers
Gallstones
Acute chest syndrome

Question 24

What are the signs and symptoms of sickle cell anaemia?

Answer 24

They don’t normally present until after 12 months.
Normally anaemia signs
Hyperbilirubinemia
Splenomegaly
Vascular occlusion
Occlusion in the lungs
Heart failurre
Frequent infections - reduced healing

Question 25

What are the treatments for sickle cell anaemia?

Answer 25

Analgesia around the clock
IV fluids
Bed rest
Warm compresses
Remove restriction (tight clothes/jewellery)
Blood transfusion
Folic acid supplements (not iron)

Question 26

What is a long term treatment of sickle cell anaemia?

Answer 26

Crizanlizumab