Week 6- Blood/ Lymphatic Disorders Flashcards
What does blood do?
- Provides major transport system of the body for essentials such as oxygen, glucose, and other nutrients, hormones and electrolytes
- Parts of the bodies defense
- Body contains approx. 5 L of blood
- Consists of water and its dissolved solutes (55% of blood volume). Plasma falls into this category
- Cells or formed elements (45% of blood volume)
Hematocrit
- Proportion of RBC (erythrocytes) to the total blood volume
- In men, higher (48%)
- Female (42%)
- Elevated hematocrit can indicate dehydration or excess RBC
- Low hematocrit can result from blood loss of anemia
Plasma
- Makes up part of the 55% of non-blood cells i the blood proportion
- Includes proteins, water and other electrolytes
- Albumin- maintains osmotic pressure in the blood
- Antibodies (Globulins)
- Fibrinogen- blood clotting
- Clear, yellowish fluid remaining after the cells have been removed
What is anemia?
- Causes a reduction in oxygen transport in the blood caused by a decrease in hemoglobin content
- This can result from several things: (Declining RBC production, Decrease in RBC, or Combination of these 2)
- There are many different types of anemia
What is the patho of anemia?
The oxygen deficit leads to a sequence of events:
- Less energy is produced in all the cells
- Body compensates to improve the oxygen supply by increasing HR and peripheral vasoconstriction
- These changes lead to symptoms being evidenced such as fatigue, pallor, dyspnea and tachy
- Epithelial cells in the GI system cause inflammation and ulcers, on the skin cause dry lips, and the hair & skin may begin to show degeneration
- In cases of severe anemia- chest pain during stress or exercise
What is iron deficient anemia?
- Insufficient iron impedes the creation of hemoglobin in the blood (this then reduces the amount of oxygen carried in the blood)
- This results in smaller, less concentrated RBC’s, owing to a low concentration of hemoglobin in each cell
What are some causes of iron deficient anemia?
- Diets low in iron
- Chronic blood loss from things such as ulcers, hemorrhoids, cancers, and excessive menstrual flow
What are the S/S of iron deficient anemia?
Mild= typically asymptomatic
As the hemoglobin levels drop, signs are:
- Pallor of the skin and mucous membranes
- Fatigue, lethargy and cold intolerance
- Irritability (CNS response to hypoxia)
- Brittle hair, ridged nails, dry skin
- Inflammation of the oral mucosa and tongue
- Menstrual irregularities
- Delayed healing
- Tachy, syncope, and dyspnea
What is the treatment for iron deficient anemia?
- Find out the underlying cause
- Treatment & prognosis depends on the cause
- Iron rich foods or iron supplements
What is pernicious anemia?
B12 DEFICIENCY
- Caused by large, immature RBC’s
- This typically results from a deficit folic acid (B9) or B12 (need B12 to create blood cells)
- These deficiencies usually develop gradually
- High occurrence in the first 2 months of pregnancy (this can result in high instances of birth defects such as spina bifida)
What is the patho of pernicious anemia?
- Malabsorption of B12 in the glands of the gastric mucosa
- This is caused by lack of the intrinsic factor production (occurs when the body produces antibodies against the IF, and the subsequent immune response causes atrophy of the gastric mucosa and glands
- This B12 impairment leads to immature RBC production
(They are destroyed prematurely when they are being reproduced- This results in low RBC count (anemia))
What are the causes of pernicious anemia?
- Rarely caused by dietary insufficiency as the body needs very small amount of B12
- Most common cause is malabsorption
- Caused from either autoimmune response
- Older individuals- chronic gastritis (atrophy of gastric mucosa)
- Chronic inflammatory conditions
What are the S/S of pernicious anemia?
- Same as anemia
Additionally:
- Enlarged tongue, red, sore & shiny
- Decrease in gastric acid leads to digestive discomfort often with nausea and diarrhea
- Tingling and burning sensations to extremities or loss of coordination
What is the treatment for pernicious anemia?
- Oral supplements
- Vitamin B12 injections
What is aplastic anemia?
- Impairment or failure of bone marrow function
- This leads to a loss of stem cells and decreased number of RBCs, leukocytes and platelets
What are some causes of aplastic anemia?
- Approx. half the cases, the patient are middle aged and the cause is unknown
- Radiation, industrial chemicals and drugs have been shown to damage bone marrow
- Viruses (HEP C)
- Autoimmune disease may affect bone marrow
- Genetic abnormalities
- In cancer treatment- risk to bone marrow & stem cells is possible, they will harvest the stem cells prior to treatment and then transfuse them later when needed
What are the S/S of aplastic anemia?
B/C entire bone marrow is affected:
- pallor, weakness, dyspnea
- multiple and recurrent infections
- tendency to bleed excessivelu
- As WBC/s diminish, uncontrolled infection and hemorrhage are likely
What is the treatment for aplastic anemia?
Removal of any bone marrow suppressants
- This aids in the recovery of the bone marrow
- Bone marrow transplants
- Stem cell transplants
What is Sickle Cell Anemia?
Inherited characteristic leads to abnormal hemoglobin
- When this altered hemoglobin is deoxygenated, it crystalizes and changes the shape from a disc to a crescent (“sickle”)
- Cell membrane is now damaged and the RBC can only live for approx. 20 days as opposed to a normal 120 day lifespan of a healthy RBC
- These RBC’s can carry oxygen normally, but the low count of hemoglobin causes lower amount of oxygen to be carried
What is a major issue with sickling process?
- the obstruction of small vessels by the elongated and rigid RBC’s, resulting in thrombus formation and areas of necrosis
What are the S/S of Sickle Cell Anemia?
- Usually evident at approx. 12 months old
- Severe anemia symptoms such as pallor, weakness and dyspnea
- High bilirubin (evidenced by yellowing of skin and whites of the eyes)
- Vascular occlusions and infarction can lead to periodic, painful crises & permanent damage to organs and tissues
- Chest= SOB, pain, fever
- Vessels of hands and feet= pain and swelling, ulcers
- Growth & development are late
What is the treatment for Sickle Cell Anemia?
No real treatment at this time
Supportive & preventative:
- Use of HYDROXYUREA has reduced the frequency of crises
- Avoidance of strenuous activity
- Prevent dehydration & infection
- Ensure immunizations against pneumonia, meningitis and influenza
Many don’t live past 20 yrs old
What is Hemolytic Anemia?
- Pemature destruction of RBC’s
- May not appear as anemia if the bone marrow can keep up the production of new RBCs
- Classified as either inherited or accquired