Blood Disorders Flashcards
Erythrocyte Disorders
What is spherocytosis?
When the RBC loses its biconcave shape to become spherical. This leads to a lack of flexibility of the RBC and they hemolyse.
Erythrocyte Disorders
What is spherocytosis caused by?
- When the RBCs are placed in hypotonic solutions, under low osmotic pressure.
- Hereditary abnormalities in the protein structure that make the RBC membrane.
Erythrocyte Disorders
What is the most common cause of hereditary hemolytic anemia?
Hereditary spherocytosis
Erythrocyte Disorders
What is anemia?
It is an erythrocyte disorder charecterised by a decrease in hemoglobin in the blood.
Erythrocyte Disorders
What are the signs and symptoms of anemia?
- Paleness
- Shortness of breath
- Chills
- Fatigue
Erythrocyte Disorders
What are the effects of anemia?
- Increased workload on heart that may lead to acute heart failure
- Hyperdynamic circulation
- Functional murmurs
- Tissue Hypoxia
Erythrocyte Disorders
What are the two broad classifications of anemia?
- Morphological classification
- Etiological classification
Erythrocyte Disorders
How would you classify anemia morphologically?
- Normocytic Normochromic Anemia
- Microcytic Hypochromic Anemia
- Macrocytic Normochromic Anemia
Erythrocyte Disorders
What is the charecteristric of Normocytic Normochromic Anemia?
- MCV is normal
- MCH and MCHC is normal
- RBC count is decreased
Erythrocyte Disorders
What can be the causes of Normocytic Normochromic Anemia?
- Hemorrhagic Anemia: Acute blood loss
- Aplastic Anemia: Bone marrow depression due to radiation, drugs, etc.
- Hemolytic Anemia
Erythrocyte Disorders
What is the charecteristric of Microcytic Hypochromic Anemia?
- MCV < 75 fL
- MCH < 26 pg
- MCHC < 32%
Erythrocyte Disorders
What can be the causes of Microcytic Hypochromic Anemia?
Iron deficiency caused due to:
1. Hemorrhagic Anemia: Chronic blood loss
2. Lack of iron in diet
3. Lack of iron absorption
Erythrocyte Disorders
What is the characteristric of Macrocytic Normochromic Anemia?
- MCV > 100 fL
- MCH and MCHC is normal
Erythrocyte Disorders
Why can a defeciency in B12 and folic acid cause Macrocytic Normochromic Anemia?
Because they are important to maintain the structure of RBCs.
Erythrocyte Disorders
How would you classify anemia etiologically?
- Lack of Hb
- Insuffecient RBCs
- Abnormal Hb