Tinnitus, weakness, dizziness, shortness of breath - all these are signs that may indicate the presence of anemia in a patient. If you suspect that you have low hemoglobin (anemia), the causes, symptoms and manifestations of the disease described in our article will help you understand how to overcome this ailment.
General manifestations of the disease
It is worth noting that doctors do not classify a decrease in the level of hemoglobin in the blood as a separate pathology, but the condition has a number of typical symptoms by which it can be recognized.
Of course, detailed data on the composition of the blood can be found from the results of the general analysis. However, not all people go to the clinic regularly.for professional examinations. The following symptoms should prompt a visit to the doctor:
- regular headaches and migraines;
- feeling of general weakness;
- state of lack of sleep;
- loss of strength or fatigue;
- cardiac arrhythmia and shortness of breath;
- weak concentration and memory;
- low blood pressure;
- lack of appetite;
- disturbed menstrual cycle in women;
- problems with potency in men;
- fainting.
With careful attention to their he alth, based on the above symptoms, a person may suspect that he has low hemoglobin. Whether a blood transfusion is necessary in this case or local treatment is enough, only the doctor will tell after a complete examination of the patient.
Warning signs of low hemoglobin levels
If a patient does not seek medical help for a long time and lives with the symptoms described above, oxygen starvation progresses in his body, the function of carbon dioxide metabolism is disturbed and an incorrect acid-base balance is created.
However, this is not the worst - there are signs that indicate the seriousness of the process and pose a real threat to life and he alth. Among them, doctors distinguish the following:
- Impaired respiratory function.
- Persistent diarrhea and vomiting.
- Skin loses its pink tint, becomes pale and rough.
- Hair stops growing, becomesdry and brittle.
- Stains and signs of fungal infection appear on the nails.
- There are cracks and sores in the corners of the mouth.
- Against the background of absent or excessively low immunity, the patient regularly suffers from colds.
- He gets leg cramps in the evening.
- Taste preferences change (I want something unusual: chalk, lime, clay or earth), the sense of smell also suffers, and a person likes the smell of acetone and gasoline.
Have you suspected low hemoglobin? Symptoms, causes, consequences may vary slightly in each clinical case. Therefore, given this fact, it is recommended that if at least one or more symptoms occur, contact your doctor immediately. The specialist will prescribe a complete examination and the necessary tests.
Not everyone can understand why such a condition develops, which means that it is necessary to consider the reasons in detail.
Not enough iron
Everyone knows firsthand that in order to replenish the level of hemoglobin in the blood, it is necessary to provide the body with a sufficient amount of iron. An important trace element enters the bloodstream through the food that a person consumes. With an improper diet, when there are no iron-containing foods, the minimum daily allowance (10–20 mg) is not gained. In such situations, there is a rapid decrease in hemoglobin.
The doctors' diagnosis in these cases is: "iron deficiency anemia,or anemia". This is a rather serious disease, and its progression makes it necessary to prescribe a blood transfusion with low hemoglobin. We will analyze the consequences of the procedure a little later.
Not absorbing iron by the body
Unfortunately, even if a person receives the minimum daily dose of a trace element, this is not enough. It is necessary to make sure that iron is absorbed in the body. This is a complex internal chemical process in which many reactants are involved. Therefore, along with products containing iron, it is necessary that vitamins of group B (1, 6, 9, 12), PP and C enter the body. They act as catalysts. Also, for absorption, you will need a full norm of folic acid.
If we consider other causes of a drop in hemoglobin levels, then they include diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and insufficient production of enzymes, which is mostly observed in patients of the older age group.
Also, the production of hemoglobin is hindered by the active vital activity of parasitic bacteria. The most dangerous is the tapeworm, which absorbs all the folic acid that enters the body. Indicators fall by almost 30% on average. But here the question arises: if you do a blood transfusion with low hemoglobin, the effectiveness of the procedure will be reduced or not? Doctors give a positive answer, but parasitic control will have to be paramount.
Loss of hemoglobin
Some patients experience a regular decrease in hemoglobin levels duringnormal production. This is due to occult bleeding. They occur with injuries, wounds and after various operations, as well as with the systematic donation of blood as a donor.
Indications for blood transfusion
Many who are faced with the described problem are worried: is blood transfusion with low hemoglobin - is it dangerous? To begin with, let's figure out when doctors unconditionally prescribe a procedure.
It should be noted right away that this procedure is an extreme case and is prescribed only when other therapeutic methods are powerless. The indications for it are as follows:
- diagnosed heart defects;
- acute blood loss;
- cerebral atherosclerosis;
- heart or lung failure;
- need for urgent surgery.
Whole blood or red blood cells are used for the procedure. When a blood transfusion is prescribed for low hemoglobin, what consequences this will have depends on how the person perceives the donor composition.
Often, the procedure is performed for people with persistent anemia. This is due to the fact that even at rest they suffer from tachycardia and shortness of breath, and the hemoglobin level does not exceed 60 grams per liter.
Transfusion technique
When a blood transfusion is performed with low hemoglobin, the consequences largely depend on the professionalism of the procedure. Doctors adhere to the following algorithmaction:
- Examination of the patient and taking anamnesis (tests, determination of contraindications, clarification of previous procedures of this type, whether there were any pregnancies).
- Double determination of blood type and Rh factor (laboratory and at the site of the procedure), while the results must be identical.
- Choosing the ideal blood donor. The process provides for: hermetic packaging of the contents, the presence of the name of the donor, the number and batch of blood collection, the Rh factor of the donor, where the liquid was taken and with what preservative, the signature of the responsible doctor and the expiration date. If something is missing or there are mismatches, the transfusion is not performed.
- Rechecking the selected blood type.
- Checking the individual compatibility of the patient's and donor's blood.
- Checking the compatibility of the Rh factor of the patient and the donor.
- Biological test (triple injection of selected blood to the patient with a volume of 25 milliliters each). If there are no side effects, the process continues.
- Drip blood injection. The average speed is 40-60 drops per minute. Only erythrocyte mass is injected under the constant supervision of a doctor, the patient's pressure, respiration and pulse are monitored, and the skin is examined.
- At the end, 15 milliliters of donated blood mixed with the patient's serum is left. The mass is stored for 48 hours (required for analysis in case of complications).
- The patient must remain in the clinic for another 2 hours after the transfusion and a day under the supervision of a specialist. Delivery due after 24 hoursblood and urine tests.
If the technology is not broken, then the consequences of a blood transfusion with low hemoglobin will not be associated with complications.
The consequences of a transfusion
As practice shows, if a blood transfusion was performed with low hemoglobin, the consequences in the form of complications develop mainly in female patients. In some cases, difficulties may arise if a large transfusion of blood or an artificial substitute has been performed.
In a small number of patients, complications occur in a latent form, which is a consequence of the introduction of incompatible blood.
How else is the procedure dangerous
Blood transfusion with low hemoglobin has consequences only when the patient has been injected with an inappropriate red blood cell mass. However, they will be visible already at the second injection from biological blood, after which the process must be stopped immediately.
The consequences of a blood transfusion with low hemoglobin are manifested in the patient's restless state, impaired breathing, shortness of breath, palpitations, vomiting or urge to it. An experienced doctor will immediately notice all this and take measures to stop the process. Therefore, it can be said that the professional administration of the mass is safe for the life of the patient.
