Among the common types, iron deficiency anemia is the most common. Doctors fix it in more than 80% of cases of such pathologies. The disease begins its development due to a lack of iron in the body, since the microelement plays an important role in the process of hematopoiesis. Without it, there is no possibility of the formation of red blood cells and hemoglobin. It is also involved in the synthesis of most cellular enzymes.
Definition
Iron deficiency anemia is a painful blood condition that appears due to a lack of such an element in the blood as iron. This problem will be accompanied by changes in metabolic parameters, and subsequently a decrease in hemoglobin levels. Quite often there is hypochromia (decrease in color index) and microcytosis (decrease in volume) of erythrocytes, hypoxia (oxygen starvation of cells and tissues).
Reasons
Iron deficiency anemiaa fairly common disease, so you need to figure out what can contribute to its occurrence:
- Explicit or hidden persistent bleeding. Often this condition is observed due to surgery, ulcers, childbirth, tumors in the stomach or problematic hemorrhoids, prolonged and very heavy menstruation, donation, uterine blood loss.
- Unbalanced or inadequate nutrition. This occurs with strict diets, vegetarianism and starvation. And also this problem is observed with prolonged use of foods with a minimum iron content.
- Diseases of the stomach that prevent the absorption of the element. These include gastritis with low acidity, chronic enteritis and enterocolitis, as well as intestinal dysbacteriosis.
- Increased need for iron. Such a problem can arise with the active growth and development of adolescents and children, during breastfeeding and bearing a baby, since then the main reserves of the element that a woman needs are spent on the formation of the fetus and the production of breast milk.
Symptoms
It should be noted that depending on the level of hemoglobin, experts distinguish 3 degrees of iron deficiency anemia:
- light – hemoglobin fluctuates from 120–90 g/l;
- medium - is in relative range from 90–70 g/l;
- in severe pathology, the indicator is determined in the zone of less than 70 g/l.
If the degree is mild, then most often the patient feels natural and very rarelynotes any discomfort. In a more advanced case, there are headaches, dizziness, weakness, drowsiness, loss of strength, decreased performance, low blood pressure, palpitations, and in very advanced cases, even fainting. All the symptoms presented are due to oxygen starvation of tissues, which leads to a lack of hemoglobin.
Another symptom of iron deficiency anemia can be a malfunction in the functioning of cellular enzymes, which leads to the destruction of tissue regeneration. It manifests:
- excessive dryness and roughness of the skin;
- epidermal atrophy;
- delamination and brittle nails;
- formation of cracks in the corners of the mouth;
- dryness and hair loss;
- constant dry mouth;
- perverted tastes and a breach of charm. Very often, patients feel the taste or smell of acetone or paint, choose unusual foods in their diet, namely raw dough, chalk or clay.
Stages
In the course of a disease such as iron deficiency anemia, certain stages are distinguished:
- Pre-latency - in the process, the deposited iron is depleted, while transport and hemoglobin reserves are preserved.
- With a latent deficiency in the blood plasma, a decrease in the deposits of transport iron can be observed.
- Complete anemia - with it, all metabolic reserves of the element (transport, erythrocyte and deposited) are depleted.
Shapes
Depending on the reasonsdevelopment of iron deficiency anemia is divided as follows:
- posthemorrhagic;
- alimentary;
- congenital element deficiency;
- associated with changes in iron transport;
- increased consumption by the body.
According to clinical signs and severity, experts distinguish:
- light;
- medium;
- heavy.
Diagnosis
After the above symptoms have been found, it is required to confirm or deny the presence of the disease. With this problem, you need to consult a doctor - a hematologist. It is very important to identify the causes of the patient's malaise, since a large number of chronic diseases can provoke the formation of anemia. If the root causes of the deficiency are not addressed, all the treatment measures taken will become ineffective.
The following are often used:
- visual examination of the patient and collection of anamnesis;
- doctor issues a referral for a blood test;
- with iron deficiency anemia and suspicion of it, a puncture is performed;
- also the patient is sent for a biochemical blood test.
To make a correct diagnosis, all of these points are very important, because thanks to this, it is possible to identify the underlying disease, which just leads to a significant loss of iron.
In order to understand the main reason why the disease develops, doctors very often prescribe a stool test to detect blood clotting. For thisthe patient needs to consult with highly specialized specialists, it is required to undergo endoscopy and fluoroscopy.
Blood enters the feces due to internal bleeding, peptic ulcers and severe digestive problems. This condition is considered very dangerous, since with them blood is lost rather slowly, but constantly, and this can be detected only after passing special tests. With strong blood loss, iron is restored very quickly, and with minimal but constant iron deficiency anemia appears. The clinical indicators of this examination are very important, as further diagnostics depend on it.
X-rays are ordered to check for cancerous growths and ulcers that are so often the cause of blood loss.
A number of endoscopic studies are used to assess the condition of the internal mucous membranes of the stomach, intestines and esophagus.
And it is also necessary to examine the patient, with specialists such as a gastroenterologist, surgeon, gynecologist, oncologist and nutritionist.
Modern treatments
Symptoms of iron deficiency anemia and its consequences begin to be treated by determining the cause of such a pathological condition and donating blood, as this analysis can show how much the hemoglobin level is reduced and red blood cells are reduced.
In the case of the presence of uterine bleeding, they must be stopped, as they will completely negate the effect of the therapy. If it is impossible to quickly determine the cause of the diseasethe gastrointestinal tract (gastrointestinal tract) is carefully checked, ultrasound (ultrasound examination) is performed, sigmoidoscopy and radiography of the stomach are performed.
Modern treatment of iron deficiency anemia must necessarily include the use of drugs prescribed by the doctor. In the absence of exacerbations of the ulcer and intractable vomiting, it is recommended to receive the components not in the form of injections, but orally, as they have an optimal effect. To date, according to doctors, it is better to use medicines such as:
- "Totem";
- Ferrum-lek;
- "Sorbifer";
- Ferlatum;
- "M altofer";
- Ferrogradume.
Even if the patient will use the prescribed funds, he should know that he must include foods that include a large amount of iron in his diet. These include veal, walnuts and apples.
Folk remedies
When the first symptoms of the disease are formed, your condition can be easily corrected with homemade recipes. In order to balance the level of hemoglobin and increase the content of iron, you can drink natural drinks.
For cooking you will need the following juices:
- lemon 100 ml;
- garnet 200 ml;
- apple 100 ml;
- carrot 100 ml;
- beetroot 100 ml;
- honey 70 grams.
Next, you need to combine all the juices and add honey there, then mix everything well until completedissolution of the last ingredient. Keep this drink only in the refrigerator, and take 20 ml three times a day.
An excellent remedy for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia is a yarrow infusion.
For a drink you will need:
- 60 grams of dry yarrow;
- 500 ml water.
For cooking, it is necessary to pour boiling water over the grass, and wait until the broth is cooked for 1 hour. Next, strain everything well so that only the liquid remains. It is necessary to take 5 ml three times a day.
Classification of iron deficiency anemia according to ICD-10
There is an international classification, according to which each ailment has its own code. This technique was invented for the convenience of both doctors of any country and patients. Anemia is no exception, which includes:
- D50.0 - secondary anemia, which arises as a result of blood loss. An exception to this category is acute posthemorrhagic, which has a code - D62 and congenital appearing due to blood loss in the fetus - P61.3.
- D50.1 - sideropenic anemia, which includes Plummer-Vinson and Kelly-Paterson syndrome.
- D50.8 - other anemias.
- Unspecified iron deficiency anemia according to ICD-10 coded as D50.9.
Consequences
With proper treatment, as well as timely detection of pathology, this disease can be cured without problems. If left untreated, over time, this he alth condition can lead to disruption of mostorgans. Due to the deficiency, immunity decreases, the number of infectious diseases increases significantly. Deformation of epithelial tissues develops, dermatitis and eczema occur. A very serious problem is that the risk of developing heart failure increases.
Women
According to doctors, signs of slight anemia are present in 30% of girls of reproductive age. In particular, they appear during the menstrual cycle.
Over the years, these statistics are getting worse, as women begin to abuse diets and unbalanced nutrition. An important factor is pregnancy and feeding the baby, because of this there is no time to take care of yourself, and stress is constantly accompanied.
In this case, iron deficiency anemia in women is formed due to the fact that the body begins to use up hidden iron reserves, which it receives first from the tissues and then from the blood.
Often, this problem balances out after the age of 50, when menopause begins.
Pregnancy
The supply of iron that a woman loses at the time of bearing and feeding a baby, she restores after the next 3-4 years. That is why, during this wonderful period, the expectant mother will need twice as much element as an adult man.
It all happens because the baby in the womb cannot breathe on its own, so it takes away a huge amount of nutrients from her.
Another cause of anemia is severe blood loss after childbirth and further feedingbreastfeeding.
A future mother can be diagnosed with a pathology based on the state of hemoglobin and erythrocytes in the blood. If all coefficients indicate anemia, then subsequent adjustments are carried out exclusively under the supervision of a physician.
When a mild stage is set, vitamin complexes are used for therapy and nutrition is adjusted, in which there should be an increased amount of iron.
Children
The clinical picture of this problem in babies is not specific and can acquire one of the syndromes described below:
- Asthenovegetative - it is completely associated with oxygen starvation in the nervous system. It manifests itself as a delay in the psychomotor development of the baby and a decrease in muscle tone. With a severe degree of pathology and the absence of timely treatment, intellectual deficiency can form. There are also other manifestations of asthenovegetative syndrome, which include enuresis, tearfulness, dizziness and irritability.
- Epithelial - characterized by changes in the skin, as well as its appendages. It should be noted that the integument becomes dry, and hyperkeratosis begins to develop in the area of the elbows and knees, the hair becomes dull and actively falls out. With iron deficiency anemia in children of this type, glossitis, cheilitis and angular stomatitis often develop.
- Dyspeptic - manifested by a decrease in appetite, which can turn into a complete refusal to eat, there is instability of the stool (constipation alternates with diarrhea), dasphagia and bloating.
- Cardiovascular - matures against the background of severe anemia and is manifested by a decrease in blood pressure, shortness of breath, tachycardia, degenerative changes in the myocardium and heart murmurs.
- Immunodeficiency syndrome - outlined by groundless temperature rises to subfebrile values. During this period, children are prone to respiratory intestinal infections with a protracted or severe course.
- Hepatolienal - observed exclusively against the background of severe anemia, most often combined with other types of anemia or rickets. Manifested in severe enlargement of the spleen and liver.
Prevention
Experts from WHO (World He alth Organization) have formulated the main dogmas of preventive measures aimed at ending iron deficiency in mankind. The main ways to achieve this are the following activities:
- eat foods that are fortified with an easily absorbed form of iron;
- treatment of chronic foci of infections;
- use of products that can improve iron absorption, most often vitamins.
According to WHO experts, prevention must be carried out at the population level, since early symptoms of anemia are observed in almost 30% of the world's population. And this figure is far from small, and the consequences of the disease are extremely unpleasant.
It should be noted that preventive measures can be divided into:
- primary - these include the elimination of the main factor that contributes to the anemization of the body;
- secondary - timely detection of signs and competent diagnosis and treatment of the disease;
- tertiary - minimizing possible complications.
