Anemia Flashcards
Anemia:
Anemia is characterized by insufficient red blood cells or hemoglobin to meet the body’s needs.
Symptoms progress in severity and can include fatigue, pallor, palpitations, shortness of breath, and even unconsciousness if left untreated.
Early Signs:** Decreased energy, fatigue, poor appetite, headaches.
anemia
Advanced Signs Pallor, flow murmur, orthostasis, baseline tachycardia, hypotension, unresponsiveness.
anemia
Dietary Factors:
PICA (often related to iron deficiency), high cow’s milk diet (can lead to iron deficiency), and goat’s milk diet (can lead to folate deficiency).
Physiologic Nadir:** Occurs in infants 8-12 weeks old due to transition from fetal to adult hemoglobin.
Nutritional Factors
iron, B12, or folate deficiencies might present with symptoms.
Diagnostic Approach:
Labs to Check:** Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) and Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW) are critical for categorizing anemia
Reticulocyte Count
Indicates the bone marrow’s response. A low count suggests decreased production, while a high count suggests a response to increased red cell destruction.
Microcytic Anemia
(MCV < 70):** Often due to iron deficiency or lead poisoning.
Normocytic Anemia:
Could result from acute blood loss or anemia of chronic disease.
Macrocytic Anemia
(MCV > 85):** Usually due to B12 or folate deficiency.
Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW):
Measures variation in red blood cell size. A high RDW can indicate a mixed anemia, with some cells large and others small, like in simultaneous iron and folate deficiencies.
Low Reticulocyte Count
Suggests failure to produce red blood cells due to recent blood loss or decreased production.
High Reticulocyte Count
Indicates the bone marrow is active, often seen in hemolytic anemias or chronic bleeding conditions.
Which of the following is an early symptom of anemia?
A) Unconsciousness
B) Headache
C) Orthostatic hypotension
D) Baseline tachycardia
Answer:** B) Headache
A 10-week-old infant is found to have low hemoglobin levels on routine screening. The FNP recognizes this as:A) Iron deficiency anemia
B) Physiologic nadir
C) Thalassemia
D) Lead poisoning
Answer: B) Physiologic nadir
In microcytic anemia (MCV <70), which of the following is a common cause?
A) B12 deficiency
B) Iron deficiency
C) Folate deficiency
D) Chronic liver disease
Answer: B) Iron deficiency
A patient presents with pallor, increased heart rate, and fatigue, and their labs show a high RDW and normal MCV. This suggests:
A) Mixed anemia with both iron and folate deficiency
B) Macrocytic anemia
C) Normocytic anemia
D) Acute blood loss
*Answer:** A) Mixed anemia with both iron and folate deficiency
Which lab test would you order to evaluate the bone marrow’s response to anemia?
A) Serum ferritin
B) Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration (MCHC)
C) Reticulocyte count
D) Hematocrit
*Answer:** C) Reticulocyte count
A patient with a chronic autoimmune hemolytic anemia may present with which type of reticulocyte count?
A) Low
B) Normal
C) High
D) Zero
Answer: C) High
An FNP is assessing a child with lead exposure who has developed anemia. Which type of anemia is most likely?
A) Normocytic anemia
B) Macrocytic anemia
C) Microcytic anemia
D) Sideroblastic anemia
Answer: C) Microcytic anemia
A vegan patient presents with fatigue and “tingling” sensations in their hands and feet. Their MCV is elevated. Which deficiency should be suspected?
A) Iron deficiency
B) Vitamin B12 deficiency
C) Folate deficiency
D) Vitamin D deficiency
*Answer:** B) Vitamin B12 deficiency
