Anemia Information Flashcards
What does anemia mean (3?)
Deficiency in
Number of erythrocytes (RBC)
Quantity of hemoglobin
Volume of packed RBCS ( hematocrit )
( % of RBC to your plasma )
What are the 3 causes of anemia?
Decreased RBC production
Blood loss
Increased RBC destruction
What can cause decreased red blood cell production that ultimately causes anemia? (3)
Deficient nutrients
( iron, cobalamin, folic acid )
( cobalamin - b12 vitamin )
Decreased erythropoietin
Decreased iron availability
What can cause blood loss that ultimately leads to anemia? (4)
Chronic hemorrhage
( bleeding duodenal ulcer, colorectal cancer, liver disease )
Acute trauma
Ruptured aortic aneurysm
GI bleeding
What can cause an increased RBC destruction that ultimately leads to anemia? (4)
Hemolysis
- sickle cell disease
- medication
- incompatible blood
- trauma
What is the function of red blood cells? ( specifically hemoglobin )
Transport oxygen from lungs to the peripheral tissues and carry co2 back to the lungs
Is anemia a specific disease ?
If no? What is it?
It isn’t
Instead it’s a symptom of something else that might be going on
Anemia manifestation is what process?
Pathologic process
How is anemia classified by laboratory review how? (2)
Complete blood count with differential
Reticulocyte count
Anemia can be classified by using what two things? And describe both of them
Morphology
- cellular characteristics
( descriptive, objective, lab information )
Etiology
- underlying cause
Anemia clinical manifestations are based on what? (3)
Rate of development
Severity of anemia
Presence of co existing disease
Hemoglobin (Hgb) levels are used to determine what?
What is mild
What is moderate
What is severe
Severity of anemia
Mild - 10-12
Moderate - 6-10
Severe - < 6
Anemia
Integumentary manifestations (3)
And explain why we see each
(2) (1) (1)
Pallor
- decrease hemoglobin
- decrease blood flow of the skin
Jaundice
- increase concentration of serum bilirubin
Pruritus ( itching )
- increase serum & skin bile salt concentration
Anemia
Cardiopulmonary manifestations
What does it happen?
And cardic output maintained by what?
Results from additional attempts by heart and lungs to provide adequate 02 to the tissues
Cardiac output is maintained by increasing the heart rate & stroke volume
Anemia
Cardiopulmonary manifestations
What might we see? (8)
Angina Pectoris ( chest pain ( perfusion problem )
Ascites ( abdominal overflow )
Bruits ( turbulent blood flow over vessel )
Edema
Heart failure
Myocardial infarction
Murmurs ( beating fast heart )
Pulmonary Congestion
Why can you suffer from myocardial infarction?
Because the severe anemia isn’t supply the cardiac muscles oxygen to pump, so it results in heart attack & even at rest
Why do you get ascites in anemia?
Because of a fluid shift in the vessels
( since we don’t have enough iron or vitamins in our body )
Anemia
Nursing assessment
Subjective data
What should we ask? (4)
Past health history
Medications
( especially ones that cause bleeding ; aspirin )
Surgery
Dietary history
( low diet in iron )
Additional information
Anemia is found in kids most often because parents will increase their milk more than the food so that?
It results in more milk consumption and lack of food being eaten so low iron
Anemia
Nursing assessment
Objective data
What would we want to see? (7)
Describe each one as well
General
Integumentary
( pallor )
Respiratory
(RR -^)
Cardiovascular
(Heart rate -^)
Gastrointestinal
( GI bleeding )
Neurological
( numbness & dizziness)
Diagnostic findings
( review labs )
What is the nursing diagnosis of anemia? (3)
Fatigue
Imbalances nutrition
Ineffective self health management
What is the goals/outcomes of anemia? (3)
Assume normal activities
Maintain adequate nutrition
Develops no complications related to anemia
Anemia
Gerontologic considerations
What should we look out for with the elderly?
Signs and symptoms may go unrecognized & may be mistaken for normal aging
What are the 3 1/3 related to gerontological considerations of anemia ?
1/3 related to poor nutrition
1/3 related to chronic disease
1/3 unexplained
Erythrocyte production ( RBC )
What is the life span of RBC?
120 days
( about 4 months )
Erythrocyte production ( RBC )
What are the 3 alterations in erythropoiesis may decrease RBC production?
Decreased hemoglobin synthesis
( not making enough RBC )
Defective DNA synthesis in RBC
( not effective RBC )
Diminished availability of erythrocyte precursors
( not having building blocks to make )
Anemia
Decreased erythrocytes production
What is erythropoietin(EPO) produced and where is it produced??
% of what in where?
It is glycoprotein
Produced in the kidneys
(10% in the liver )
If our patient has kidney or renal disease they may have what? Why?
Decreased erythropoietin production
Since it’s 90% made in the kidneys
Normally the amount of red blood cells we produce and the amount of red blood cells that we lose match?
True or false
True
When we’re having anemia, our body will increase what? And why does it do this?
Increase erythropoietin ( which is a building block for RBC ) in order to increase red cells production
When having anemia our body will also increase what type of cells in order to help RBC production?
Stem cells
During anemia as well, our body will do what in order to mature RBC in the bone marrow?
Shorten the time of how long it takes to mature RBC
( speed up maturation )
What are the 3 types of anemia?
Iron deficiency
Megalobastic anemia
Blood loss
Using the chart in the slideshow
Tell me the etiology of what the morphology is telling us?
Normocytic; normal size
Normochromic; normal color
MCV, MCH normal
Microcytic, Hypochromic
MCV low, MCH low
Macrocytic, Normochromic
Acute blood loss, chronic disease, poor nutrition, pregnancy, sickle cell
Definitely, iron, B12, lead poisoning
B12 deficiency, folic acid, liver disease
