Anaemia Flashcards
What is anaemia?
- Reduction in HAEMOGLOBIN in the blood - not necessarily RED CELLS
What are 3 causes of anaemia in relation to haemoglobin?
- Reduced PRODUCTION
- Increased LOSSES
- Increased DEMAND
How long should RBC’s last?
- 120 days
Once cause of anaemia is when there is a reduction of the normal red cells in the blood. What is the most common reason for this?
- Bone marrow failure
What is aplastic anaemia?
- A rare and serious blood disorder caused by the bone marrow not functioning properly. In people with aplastic anaemia, the bone marrow fails to produce enough of all three types of blood cells - red, white and platelets
- The word aplastic means the body’s inability to create new cells, so that the tissue cannot grow or regenerate
Once cause of anaemia is when there are normal red cells in the blood but not enough Hb in them. What are the most common reasons for this? (3 points)
- Deficiency states
- Abnormal globin chains
- Chronic inflammatory disease
What are the 3 deficiency states that cause reduced Hb production anaemia?
- Iron (Fe) deficiency
- Folate
- Vit B12
What are the 2 types of anaemia caused by reduces production of Hb due to abnormal globin chains being produced?
- Thalassaemia
- Sickle cell
What is thalassaemia?
- Any group of hereditary haemolytic diseases cause by faulty haemoglobin synthesis
What chronic inflammatory diseases can cause anaemia? (8 points)
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- HIV/AIDS/TB
- Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis)
- Diabetes and heart failure
What is pernicious anaemia?
- Caused by a lack of Vit B12
What is haemolytic anaemia?
- A condition in which RBC’s are destroyed earlier than normal
What are haematinics?
- A general term for those substances including metallic ions (iron), Vit B12 and folic acid and proteins which are required for normal erythropoiesis
What are 3 examples of haematinics?
- Iron
- Vitamin B12
- Folic acid (folate)
What are 3 different sources of iron?
- Meat
- Green leafy veg
- Iron tablets
What is Achlorhydria?
- Lack of stomach acid
Why does achlorhydria cause anaemia?
- As due to lack of stomach acid there is no conversion of non-haem iron
- This is important as it makes it difficult to change non-haem iron from 3+ to 2+ which is the one that can be absorbed
What may cause achlorhydria?
- May be drug induced (proton pump inhibitors)
Which disease can cause iron deficiency anaemia?
- Coeliacs disease
- Loose villae from surface of endothelial cells
- Get a flattening of intestinal lining which gives much reduced surface area for absorption
What are common causes of iron loss in the body? (4 points)
- Gastric erosion and ulcers
- IBD (Crohn’s, Ulcerative colitis)
- Bowel cancer (colonic or rectal)
- Haemorrhoids
What are haemorrhoids?
A swollen vein or group of veins in the anus. Also called piles
What are examples of vitamin B12 sources? (2 points)
- Animal products
- Meat and diary
What are 3 things that can cause a vitamin B12 deficiency?
- Lack of intake (in diet)
- Lack of intrinsic factor
= Autoimmune stomach disease (pernicious anaemia)
= Gastric disease
- Disease of the terminal ilium
= Crohn’s disease
What are examples of sources of folic acid?
- Green, leafy veg
What does folic acid do in relation to nerves?
- It is important in nerve maturation
Why is a folic acid deficiency in pregnancy bad?
- Can lead to neural tube defects in foetus
- It can give a predisposition to spina bifida
How can folic acid deficiencies be caused? (2 points)
- Lack of intake (through diet)
- Absorption failure
= Jejunal disease - Coeliac disease
= Usually seen co-deficient with iron
What is folic acid usually seen co-deficient with?
- Iron
What should you check for in blood tests if you think a patient has a haematinic deficiency? (3 points)
- Ferritin (iron)
- Vitamin B12
- Folate
What is thalassemia?
- An inherited blood disorder characterised by the formation of abnormal form of haemoglobin
- Normal haem is produces but the globin chain you make to wrap around the haem is deficient
What are the 2 types of thalassaemia and which races are these common to?
- Alpha Chains (alpha thalassaemia)
= Asians
- Beta chains (beta thalassemia)
= Mediterranean’s