Anemia

Question 1

What is anemia?

Answer 1

decreased RBCs, Hgb, and Hct

Question 2

What is neutropenia?

Answer 2

decreased neutrophils

Question 3

What is thrombocytopenia?

Answer 3

decreased platelets

Question 4

What is a decrease in all cellular components of the bone marrow caused by bone marrow suppression?

Answer 4

pancytopenia

Question 5

What is erythropoiesis?

Answer 5

process to maintain sufficient oxygen delivery to tissues

Question 6

What 3 products are essential for production of erythrocytes?

Answer 6

iron, vitamins (B12), and hormones (inflammatory process- hepcidin)

Question 7

What is the production of red blood cells dependent on?

Answer 7

release of erythropoietin from the kidney in response to blood cell oxygen demand

Question 8

What does reticulocyte count indicate?

Answer 8

RBC production rate and EPO response

Question 9

3 RBC indices

Answer 9

MCV, MCH, MCHC

Question 10

If a patient has a low MCV, what do the RBCs look like?

Answer 10

microcytic

Question 11

How is anemia clinically demonstrated?

Answer 11

decreased RBCs, Hematocrit, and Hgb

Question 12

5 main reasons for decreased RBC production

Answer 12

iron deficiency, pernicious anemia, aplastic anemia, chemotherapy induced anemia, and anemia of inflammation

Question 13

If a patient presents with a severe burn, and labs show that the patient has low H&H and low RBCs, what is this patient presenting with? Why?

Answer 13

hemolytic anemia. There is a major loss in blood, and the burn destroys RBCs, and vessels that contain RBCs

Question 14

What should be done if a patient is experiencing extreme blood loss?

Answer 14

stop the bleed, administer 2 units of NS or Lactated Ringers, and then hang blood

Question 15

Why is it important to give a patient more blood when blood loss occurs, instead of just increasing the volume of the blood with NS or LR?

Answer 15

The fluids will help increase BP, but will dilute the blood, and there is still a lack of oxygen carrying cells when only fluids are administered, and hypoxia will continue

Question 16

Why would someone have low RBCs after blood loss? (4)

Answer 16

hemorrhage (trauma, post-op, anticoagulation), chronic bleeding (colitis, cirrhosis, colon cancer, diverticulitis), heavy menstrual cycle, frequent lab sampling

Question 17

Why is diaphoresis often seen in patient with blood loss anemia?

Answer 17

low blood pressure, since there is a lower volume of blood, and this will stimulate the SNS

Question 18

What is the genotype for a person that has sickle cell anemia?

Answer 18

homozygous for the Hgb S gene

Question 19

When will a patient with sickle cell anemia have normal hemoglobin function/shape?

Answer 19

if the cells are adequately oxygenated

Question 20

What happens when a patient with sickle cell anemia has a drop in PaO2 and SaO2?

Answer 20

the Hgb S will form a fibrous polymer and this realignment of the polymers will form a sickle shape

Question 21

What is the RBC lifespan of a sickle cell patient versus a normal RBC lifespan?

Answer 21

10-20 days instead of 120

Question 22

What are the lab values indicative of sickle cell anemia?

Answer 22

decreased Hgb, Decreased platelets, and increased reticulocytes