Ch5 - 1) Anemia

Question 1

What is Anemia?

Answer 1

Reduction in circulating red blood cell (RBC) mass

Question 2

What does anemia present with?

Answer 2

signs and symptoms of hypoxia; 1. Weakness, fatigue, and dyspnea 2. Pale conjunctiva and skin 3. Headache and lightheadedness 4. Angina, especially with preexisting coronary artery disease

Question 3

How is RBC mass measured?

Answer 3

Hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), and RBC count are used as surrogates for RBC mass, which is difficult to measure

Question 4

Anemia is defined as what (in terms of Hb)?

Answer 4

Hb<12.5 g/dL in females (normal Hb is 13.5-17.5 g/dL in males and 12.5-16.0 g/dl. in females)

Question 5

What is the basis for anemia classification?

Answer 5

Based on mean corpuscular volume (MCV), anemia can be classified as microcytic (MCV 100)

Question 6

What does the MCV give you an indication of in anemia?

Answer 6

size of the red blood cell

Question 7

Microcytic anemias are due to

Answer 7

decreased production of hemoglobin.

Question 8

RBC progenitor cells in the bone marrow are?

Answer 8

large and normally divide multiple times to produce smaller mature cells (MCV = 80-100)

Question 9

Microcytosis is due to?

Answer 9

an “extra” division which occurs to maintain hemoglobin concentration.

Question 10

Hemoglobin is made of

Answer 10

heme and globin:

Question 11

heme is composed of?

Answer 11

iron and protoporphyrin

Question 12

A decrease in what components leads to microcytic anemia?

Answer 12

iron, protoporphyrin and globin