Severe anemia: causes

2024 Author: Curtis Blomfield | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-02 05:35

Deterioration due to lack of oxygen is known to many. The fact is that for normal life, all tissues of the body require nutrition. This refers to a sufficient amount of oxygen required by the cells. This is especially true of the tissues of the brain and heart. Insufficient supply of oxygen to the cells is observed in anemia. There are several varieties of this pathology. Some are due to congenital defects, others develop as a result of various disorders. Nevertheless, the main criterion for all anemia is an insufficient amount of hemoglobin in the blood. The manifestations of this pathology include pallor, changes in laboratory parameters and organ hypoxia.

What is anemia?

Anemia is a disease of the hematopoietic system caused by a lack of hemoglobin. Normally, this protein should be maintained at a certain level (120-140 g / l in women, the indicator for men is 140-160). Hemoglobin deficiency can occur for various reasons. Regardless of why anemia occurs, it leads to a conditionhypoxia. After all, hemoglobin is necessary for the transfer of oxygen to all organs and systems. Therefore, its deficiency leads to the fact that cells are deficient in O_{2. Each type of anemia has its own clinical picture and laboratory data. But an insufficient amount of hemoglobin in the blood is always diagnosed. Most often, anemia is suspected in the presence of symptoms such as pale skin and general weakness. This disease is quite common among pregnant women. A slight decrease in hemoglobin in most cases is not dangerous and is easily corrected with diet and medication. Severe anemia can lead to serious impairment. Therefore, it is necessary to provide emergency assistance with it.}

Severity of anemia

There are 3 degrees of severity of anemia. They differ in the clinical picture and different levels of hemoglobin in the blood. Among them:

1. Mild anemia. The content of hemoglobin at this stage is 120-90 g/l. Pathology is characterized by minor hemodynamic disorders. In some cases, it doesn't show up at all. Sometimes there is pallor, decreased blood pressure, increased heart rate, dizziness.
2. Anemia of moderate severity. At this stage, the amount of hemoglobin is 90-70 g/L. The symptoms are more pronounced. There may be fainting, memory and thinking disorders, drowsiness.
3. Anemia of severe severity occurs when the hemoglobin level is below 70 g/l. Is dangerous to the bodystate. It leads to a breakdown of all functional systems due to a pronounced lack of oxygen.

Severe anemia types: classification

Severe anemia can develop against the background of any variety of this disease. Such a diagnosis is made regardless of the cause that caused the pathology. The main criterion is a pronounced hemoglobin deficiency - less than 70 g / l. However, it is important to distinguish one type of anemia from another. After all, the choice of treatment methods depends on this. The classification of the disease is as follows:

1. Lack of hemoglobin caused by iron deficiency (IDA). This type of disease is more common than others. It is caused by a violation of iron absorption or a small intake of this element with food.
2. B_{12-deficiency severe anemia. It is due to vitamin deficiency. Common in people with chronic gastritis.}
3. Severe aplastic anemia. It refers to congenital pathologies.
4. Hemolytic anemia. This pathology is considered an autoimmune disease. It can be either congenital or acquired.
5. Severe degree of Fanconi anemia. This disease refers to congenital defects of the hematopoietic system.

Severe anemia: causes of pathology

It is worth remembering that, regardless of the degree and variety, anemia never appears on its own, without a reason. In order to proceed with the treatment of pathology, it is necessary to find out whatcaused illness. Severe iron deficiency anemia is the most common. It occurs for the following reasons:

1. Insufficient supply of necessary products. This refers to food rich in iron. Foods containing this element are meat, liver, pomegranate, apples, etc.
2. Impaired absorption of iron in the intestine. It develops due to enzyme deficiency or due to chronic diseases of the digestive tract.
3. Different types of blood loss. Therefore, it is so important to collect a gynecological history (duration and abundance of menstruation), to find out if there are hemorrhoids. As a result of these diseases, severe chronic anemia often develops. Acute blood loss can occur with a complication of peptic ulcer, liver cirrhosis, ectopic pregnancy, ovarian apoplexy and cyst rupture.
4. Severe injuries.

В_{12-deficiency anemia occurs in diseases of the stomach (chronic atrophic gastritis), organ resection in oncological pathologies, perforated ulcer.}

Other causes of hemoglobin deficiency are congenital and autoimmune lesions of the red hematopoietic germ, hemolysis (destruction) of red blood cells.

Mechanism of severe anemia

Why does severe anemia develop? First of all, this happens if the patient does not notice the changes that occur with an unexpressed hemoglobin deficiency. Especially often this phenomenon can be observed in chronic blood loss. Becausethe human body gets used to constant "oxygen starvation", it is compensated by various mechanisms (increased cardiac activity). IDA develops due to iron deficiency. As a result, hemoglobin molecules are not formed in the required amount. With B_{12-deficiency anemia, vitamins are not absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract. This is due to inflammation or resection of the organ. Severe anemia is often found in congenital types of this disease. They develop as a result of immaturity with hematopoiesis. At the same time, a large amount of adipose tissue is found in the bone marrow.}

Clinical presentation in severe anemia

When the hemoglobin level falls below 70g/l, a severe degree of the disease is diagnosed. In this case, the compensatory mechanisms of the body no longer work. For this reason, oxygen deficiency is felt in all functional systems. As a result, the following symptoms develop:

1. Severe pallor of the skin.
2. Violation of consciousness. In severe anemia, drowsiness and fainting may occur.
3. Fall in blood pressure.
4. Increased heart rate.
5. Dizziness.
6. Severe weakness. In this state, a person cannot get out of bed, when lifting the head, dizziness is observed, fainting is possible.
7. Shortness of breath.

If you do not provide assistance in time, there may be a violation of the functioning of vital systems and organs. In such cases oftenthere is acute renal failure, cardiogenic shock.

Anemia in pregnancy: features

Anemia is one of the symptoms that pregnant women often complain about. This is due to the fact that, in addition to the mother's body, the child also needs oxygen. Due to the appearance of an additional circle of blood circulation (placental), a decrease in hemoglobin is often observed. Therefore, the normal rate during pregnancy is 110 g / l. With a sharp drop in hemoglobin levels, urgent assistance must be provided. A severe degree of anemia in pregnant women is dangerous not only for the mother, but also for the child. Most often, it develops due to complications such as placental abruption or spontaneous miscarriage. Therefore, in case of bleeding from the genital tract, you should immediately call a doctor.

Diagnostic signs of anemia

In order to diagnose "anemia", it is enough to check the blood test. A severe degree of the disease is noted when the hemoglobin level is below 70 g / l. Clinical signs are pallor, decreased blood pressure, tachycardia, dizziness, and syncope. Severe anemia is often accompanied by blood loss. To identify the cause of the decrease in hemoglobin levels, it is necessary to conduct a series of laboratory tests. To diagnose IDA, a biochemical blood test is done. At the same time, such changes are observed as a decrease in the level of serum iron and an increase in TI. To diagnose other types of anemia, it is necessary to do a microscopic analysis of blood and cerebrospinal fluid. For this purpose, a lumbar puncture is performed.

What diseases differentiate severe anemia?

In some cases, anemic syndrome is observed in diseases of the hematopoietic system and liver. A decrease in hemoglobin accompanies almost all oncological pathologies. This is especially true of blood cancers - leukemia. They can be distinguished from anemia by changes in other indicators in the KLA. These include: a decrease in the level of platelets and leukocytes, an acceleration of ESR. There are also differences in the clinical picture (subfebrile temperature, swollen lymph nodes). Anemic syndrome is present in liver cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis. To diagnose these pathologies, an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity and special laboratory tests are performed.

Severe anemia: treatment of the disease

Regardless of the cause of anemia, severe anemia requires a blood or red blood cell transfusion. In addition, symptomatic therapy is carried out. If the electrolyte balance is disturbed, physiological saline, preparations containing potassium are administered. If the cause of anemia is bleeding, emergency surgery is necessary. In addition, drug therapy is carried out. With a hemostatic purpose, sodium etamsylate, aminocaproic acid are administered. Aplastic anemia requires a bone marrow transplant. If vitamin B deficiency is the cause_{12 lifelong replacement therapy is given.}

Consequences of anemiasevere

Be aware of the danger posed by severe anemia. The consequences of this condition are cardiogenic shock, acute renal failure, as well as dysfunction of other vital organs. These complications can lead to death. Therefore, even with minor bleeding, you should immediately consult a doctor.