Aplastic Anemia Flashcards
Aplastic anemia is what? (2)
Pancytopenia & hypo cellular bone marrow
What does pancytopenia mean ?
across all blood cell types, everything is decreased
What are the 3 blood cell types that are decreased in pancytopenia?
Red blood cells
White blood cells
Platelets
Aplastic anemia ranges from ?
Moderate to severe ( fatal )
Aplastic anemia is usually what?
Rare to get
What are the 2 major types of aplastic anemia?
Antoimmune
Acquired
What does autoimmune aplastic anemia mean?
And how does that work?
Auto reactive T lymphocytes
Cytotoxic T cells target and destroy patients own hematopoietic stem cells
What is acquired aplastic anemia?
Results from exposure to ionizing radiation, chemical agents, viral & bacterial infections
Acquired or autoimmune aplastic anemia, which is most common?
Acquired
Autoimmune etiology effects patients how? (5)
What is it decreasing
Decreasing their immunity
Decreasing all their blood cell types
( attacks it )
No ability to fight infection
No ability to clot when needed
No ability to carry oxygen
Acquired aplastic anemia can be intention because?
You could be giving radiation to a patient who has cancer ( chemotherapy )
Aplastic anemia clinical manifestations
They are what development?
Abrupt or gradual
( over days or over weeks to months )
Aplastic anemia
Symptoms are caused by what?
Suppression of all or any bone marrow elements
What are general manifestations of aplastic anemia? (5)
Fatigue
Dyspnea
Cardiovascular & cerebral responses
( tachycardia ; lower LOC )
Neutropenia ( low neutrophil count ) ; more sus to infection
Thrombocytopenia (can’t clot )
Diagnosis of aplastic anemia is confirmed by?
Labs
What are the 4 things we are gonna see in labs ?
Low hemoglobin, wbc, platelet
Low reticulocute count
Elevated serum iron and TIBC
hypocellular bone marrow with increased fat content ( yellow marrow )
Why is elevated iron and TIBC ??
Because of the initial( sudden) signs of decreased RBC production
Nursing intervention of aplastic anemia
What are we gonna do?(4)
Explain each one & example
Identify and remove causative agent
( if it’s a chemical remove chemical )
Provide supportive care until pancytopenia reversed
Prevent complications from infections
( due to low neutrophil)
Prevent hemorrhage
( bleeding cause we can’t blood clot )
The biggest killer of aplastic anemia is?
Infection
Prognosis of severe untreated aplastic anemia is?
Poor
We want to catch it early to prevent it
Treatment options? (2)
Immunosuppressive therapies
Bone marrow transplantation
