Anemia is a deficiency of red blood cells or hemoglobin, which prevents oxygen from reaching muscles, organs, and other tissues. Anemia is dangerous both in its symptoms and its consequences. Symptoms include fatigue, weakness, dizziness, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing. There are many causes or types of anemia, each with different symptoms and treatments, so this condition can vary greatly in severity and duration.
Causes
The main causes of anemia include iron deficiency, which can result from insufficient iron intake from food, poor iron absorption, or excessive iron loss, such as heavy menstruation.
Another common cause is a deficiency of vitamin B12 or folic acid. Vitamin B12 is found in animal products and folic acid is found in green leafy vegetables and fruits. Deficiencies of these vitamins may be due to an unbalanced diet or impaired absorption.
Chronic diseases, such as kidney disease or cancer, can also cause anemia by affecting the production of erythropoietin or reducing the life span of red blood cells. Genetic disorders such as thalassemia or sickle cell anemia affect hemoglobin structure and function, leading to anemia.
Autoimmune processes, in which the body attacks its red blood cells, and toxin poisoning, as well as certain medications, can damage the cells or interfere with their production. Anemia requires careful diagnosis and targeted treatment.
What are the dangers of anemia?
The consequences can be quite serious, for example:
- Decreased immunity and frequent infections.
- Development of cardiovascular diseases: low levels of red blood cells in the blood force the heart to work harder to meet the oxygen needs of the cells. This can lead to arrhythmias or heart failure.
- Developmental problems in children.
The effects of anemia during pregnancy increase the likelihood of complications such as:
- Premature labor.
- Low birth weight of newborns.
- Increased risk of abortion.
- Postpartum sepsis.
- Increased blood loss during labor.
The need for certain nutrients, including iron, increases during pregnancy. This increases the likelihood of iron deficiency anemia in pregnant women.
Symptoms of anemia
The symptomatology is nonspecific – the same signs are accompanied by other diseases of the body. The main symptoms of the disease can be combined into two syndromes: hypoxic and sideropenic.
Hypoxic syndrome is a consequence of oxygen deficiency in tissues. Patients complain of:
- general weakness;
- rapid fatigability;
- reduced efficiency;
- dizziness;
- loss of strength;
- noise, ringing in the ears, flies in the eyes;
- difficulty breathing, sweating with moderate physical exertion;
- pallor of the skin and mucous membranes;
- increased heart rate.
Manifestations of sideropenic syndrome:
- taste perversions;
- dry skin;
- brittle, thinning nails;
- hair loss;
- angular stomatitis;
- burning tongue;
- symptoms of dyspepsia.
In women, the symptom is often prolonged heavy menstruation.
The diversity of clinical manifestations of iron deficiency is explained by a wide range of metabolic disorders.
The main feature of anemia is that it develops gradually – the body has the ability to adjust and adapt to changes in the level of hemoglobin, because of which the patient’s condition worsens slowly and imperceptibly, and not always the signs of pathology are pronounced.
Prevention of anemia
It has long been a well-known fact: in order not to treat a disease, it is enough to systematically engage in its prevention. The basis of anemia prevention is the prevention of deficiency in the body of iron, vitamin B12 and folic acid.
The main role in the prevention of anemia plays a major role in proper nutrition. In the patient’s diet there should be a sufficient amount of animal products (red meat, egg yolks, sea and river fish, dairy and fermented milk products), rich in vitamin C (bell peppers, black currants, rosehip decoction, strawberries, tomatoes, green apples).
Nutrition should be not just correct, but also balanced. You can not allow excessive consumption of meat protein without a sufficient amount of vegetables and fruits.
For newborn children, the best prevention of anemia is breastfeeding. With the mother’s milk in the body the infant gets enough iron, vitamin B and other nutrients. When there is no breast milk, choose a highly adapted vitaminized formula with probiotics.
To prevent anemia during pregnancy, women are recommended to take vitamin complexes with a daily dose of iron and folic acid. These preparations are also necessary in the postpartum period. The type of vitamins, their dosage is selected by a doctor taking into account the diagnosis, anamnesis, concomitant diseases and the results of laboratory tests.
Conclusion
Anemia is a serious condition that can be a symptom of a variety of conditions, including nutrient deficiencies, chronic diseases, or genetic disorders. Although the symptoms of anemia can be general and non-specific, their effects on the body can be quite dangerous, including weakening of the immune system, development of cardiovascular disease, and problems during pregnancy. Prevention of anemia is based on a balanced diet, timely detection of vitamin and mineral deficiencies, as well as proper health care. Early detection and proper treatment of anemia can prevent serious complications and improve the quality of life of patients.
