Anemia Drugs

Question 1

What is anemia?

Answer 1

reduction in the ability of the blood to deliver oxygen

Question 2

forms of anemia

Answer 2

reduced # of RBCs
reduced hemoglobin content
reduced functionality of hemoglobin

Question 3

causes of anemia

Answer 3

blood loss, or dilutional (fluid overload)
decreased red cell production
increased red cell breakdown

Question 4

What is dilutional anemia?

Answer 4

“apparent;” excessive Na or fluid intake; Na or water retention and fluid shift into intravascular space

Question 5

What is hematopoiesis?

Answer 5

blood cell production from a fleuripotent stem cell to a committed erythrocyte

Question 6

types of anemia

Answer 6

blood loss: reduced erythropoietin (EPO); premature infants, trauma, dilutional
decreased red cell production: reduced proliferation or differentiation of stem cells or erythroblasts; red cell aplasia, aplastic anemia, megaloblastic, macrocytic, iron deficient
increased RBC loss: “hemolytic” intrinsic & extrinsic genetic causes

Question 7

What is the best predictor of iron deficient anemia and why?

Answer 7

ferritin

phenotypic appearance is normal until late stage, but ferritin levels show iron depletion earlier

Question 8

another way to look at causes of anemia

Answer 8

microcytic: too little iron
macrocytic: too little B12 or B9
normal size: low EPO or other chronic disease

Question 9

Why is vitamin C good for iron supplementation?

Answer 9

Acidification improves the absorption of iron. Iron needs to be converted to ferrous iron so that it can be absorbed (divalent transporter takes up the ferrous).

Question 10

What is chronic iron toxicity?

Answer 10

iron overload; hemochromatosis; excess iron deposited in major organs leading to failure; treated by intermittent phlebotomy