Anemia
Anemia is a blood disease or rather a condition in which the body lacks blood. Anemia often affects women, but also occurs in men and children. Additionally, anemia is also associated with several serious diseases.
How Anemia Could Happen?
anemia - blood cells merahAnemia occurs when the body does not have enough red blood cells strong and healthy to carry oxygen throughout the body. In this condition, red blood cells do not contain enough hemoglobin, the protein that gives the red color to the blood, or it could be called a carrier protein oxygen to all parts of the body.
Anemia and symptoms of heart
People who are anemic tend to lack of oxygen in their blood. This resulted in the heart must work harder to pump enough oxygen to organs in the body. The symptoms associated with anemia is the heart and arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms), shortness of breath, and chest pain.
Anemia in children
Approximately one in seven children are known to develop anemia at the age of two years. Most of those affected are known anemia caused by lack of iron intake. Those who are iron deficient and anemic tend to eat foods that are not healthy. If not addressed, anemia can affect brain development in children permanently.
Anaemia in adolescents
If your teen often feel tired, maybe she was anemic. The teenagers at risk of anemia because they are in the process of growth is so significant. Teenage girls are also more susceptible to anemia because their menstrual period.
Aplastic Anemia
Aplastic anemia is a rare disorder in which bone marrow cells do not make enough blood to flow throughout the body. Aplastic anemia affects only about three in one million people. This can be caused by high levels of radiation, exposure to certain chemicals, viruses, or an autoimmune disorder in which the body attacks the bone marrow. About one in five cases inherited from his predecessor. In severe cases, someone needs a blood transfusion or a bone marrow transplant.
Sickle cell anemia
Sickle cell anemia is a congenital disorder in which the body produces an abnormal form of hemoglobin. This causes the red blood cells change from round to crescent shape and make it stuck together. This makes the red blood cells it difficult to pass the blood vessels, causing pain and tissue damage. Red blood cells also die sooner than red blood cells are normal.
Symptoms of Anemia
If you often feel tired even though you have slept enough or you do not have the energy to move, you may be anemic. This can be a problem on memory or your mood. Symptoms of anemia characterized ranging from mild to life threatening, some of which are weakness, dizziness, pale skin, headache, hands and feet feel cold or numb, and low body temperature.
Risk factors for anemia
Women and people with chronic illnesses have the greatest risk for experiencing anemia. When a woman's blood loss during heavy menstrual periods, they may experience anemia. Pregnancy can also enable changes in a woman's blood volume, which in turn can cause anemia. Chronic diseases like kidney disease can affect the body's ability to make red blood cells. Disadvantages intake of iron, folate, or vitamin B12 may also increase a person's risk of developing anemia. In addition, there are several types of anemia are caused due to hereditary factors.
Causes of anemia
1. Lack of iron
Iron deficiency is often associated with anemia. Iron contained in herbs and supplements are not absorbed properly like red meat. Gastrointestinal disorders such as Crohn's syndrome (Crohn's disease), celiac disease, or gastric bypass process can inhibit iron absorption. There are some foods that can inhibit iron absorption when these foods are consumed with foods that contain iron. These foods are dairy products, calcium foods, calcium supplements, antacids, coffee, and tea.
2. Lack of vitamin
The body needs vitamin B12 and folate to make red blood cells. The second intake of this vitamin deficiency can cause anemia. Autoimmune disorders or digestive problems can also prevent the body to absorb vitamin B12. Animal foods and cereals are good sources of vitamin B12. Folate (vitamin B9) can be found in green leafy vegetables, fruits, dried beans, peas, and so forth.
3. Chronic Diseases
Chronic illness or infection can cause the body to make fewer red blood cells. This can result in a decrease in hemoglobin. If you are a shortage of red blood cells, or you lose quite a lot of blood, the body will easily develop anemia. Some medications and medical care also makes your body at risk for anemia.
4. Blood loss
Losing too many red blood cells is a common cause of anemia. Heavy menstruation, ulcers, wounds, or surgery can cause enough blood loss to cause anemia associated with iron deficiency. Women who have heavy menstrual periods should get the ordeal over the threat of anemia each year.
Diagnosis Anemia
A complete blood test will check the level of derah red cells, white cells, platelets, and hemoglobin present in your body. This test will also examine other factors such as the average size, variability in size, volume, and hemoglobin concentration of red blood cells. If you deficiency anemia due to iron deficiency, the red blood cells you look smaller than normal size. Your doctor may ask about the symptoms you're experiencing, medications you are taking, and your family history.
If your body produces too little or too much blood cells, or the structure looks abnormal, you may need to do a bone marrow test. Bone marrow, the spongy tissue inside bones that contains stem cells turn into blood cells. The doctor will remove a small sample of bone marrow through a needle.
Treating Anemia
1. Iron supplements
Iron supplements are often needed to treat anemia caused by deficiency of the mineral. Good iron supplement consumed with food or beverages that contain vitamin C as orange juice. But do not consume iron supplements along with coffee, tea, or food / beverage calcium because it can inhibit the absorption of iron. Some people may also need to compensate by taking supplements of vitamin B12 and folic acid.
Iron and pregnancy
About half of pregnant women suffer from anemia due to iron deficiency. Pregnant women should get about 27 milligrams of iron per day that comes from their food. Vitamins are generally consumed before birth usually also contain iron.
Excess iron
Although iron can overcome the anemia, but iron overload can cause serious problems. The symptoms caused by iron overload is associated with liver problems, heart, and pancreas. Excessive iron levels can be reduced through the process of taking blood (phlebotomy) or with the help of medication.
2. Medications
Anemia can be treated with corticosteroids (a type of hormone) or other drugs that can suppress the immune system problems. In addition, if the anemia associated with bone marrow occurs, it will be treated by administration of erythropoietin, a hormone that has a role in the process of hematopoiesis, are useful in forming the bone marrow in the process of hematopoiesis.
3. Blood transfusion
If you have severe anemia, you may need a blood transfusion that fits your type. When red blood cells are produced does not work properly, anemia can be treated or cured by transplantation. In this case, the bone marrow of a donor to replace the damaged bone marrow so that the body can begin producing blood cells healthy.
Prevents anemia
You can prevent some types of anemia by eating a healthy diet. Iron-containing foods such as lean red meat, liver, fish, tofu, beans, lentils, green vegetables, and dried fruits are either consumed to prevent anemia. In addition, also the consumption of foods containing vitamin B12 and folic acid such as eggs, dairy products, spinach, and bananas. Food and beverages air-consumed vitamin C is also good to help the body to absorb iron.
