Week 3 - Anaemia Flashcards
What does low Red Blood Cell Count (RCC) indicate?
Anaemia
Low RBC count levels can result from what 5 things?
- Blood loss
- Increased red cell destruction e.g. haemolysis
- Decreased red cell production e.g. renal disease
- Nutritional deficiencies of Iron, Folate, Vitamin B12 or Vitamin B6
- Overhydration (e.g., from IV fluids) can dilute the blood
Haemoglobin transports _______ and ________ _________ in the blood.
Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide
When would we see decreased or low Hb?
Vitamin and Mineral deficiencies
When would we see elevated Hb?
Dehydration
Name 3 things decreased Haematocrit (Hct) may indicate:
- Anaemia
- Dehydration
- Increased RBC breakdown in the spleen
When we categorise ‘chromic’ e.g. hypochromic, we are referring to the concentration of what?
Mean Cell Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC)
Which is a measure fo the average concentration of Hb in a single RBC
MCHC can be categorised as…
(3 things)
Hypochromic = low MHCH
Normochromic = normal MCHC
Hyperchromic = high MHCH
What does MCV refer to?
Mean Cell Volume.
THe average volume of a single RBC
MCV can be categorised as….
(3 things)
- Microcytic (Low MCV, small cell size) - often defective heme or globin synthesis
- Normocytic (normal MCV)
- Macrocytic (high MCV, large cell size) - often impaired DNA synthesis leading to myeloblastosis
Which ONE of the following can be used to describe a low average concentration of haemoglobin per red blood cell?
a) Microcytic
b) Hypochromic
c) Macrocytic
d) Hyperchromic
b) Hypochromic
What three things could lead to iron deficiency anaemia?
- Nutritional deficiency
-Malabsorption
-Increased iron requirements
What are some common symptoms of Iron deficiency?
Shortness of breath, fatigue, dizziness, tachycardia
Why is serum iron NOT considered a reliable indicator of iron deficiency?
Changes throughout the day - can fluctuate based on our recent dietary iron intake. It also doesn’t reflect our body’s total iron stores
Which is the main lab test do we use for iron deficiency?
Serum Ferritin Levels - although these can be elevated in inflammation or liver disease, so not conclusive. Also test transferrin and FBC