This is a reduction in hemoglobin values in the blood, which can be due to various causes.
- Simple chronic anemia
- Hemolytic anemia
- Iron deficiency anemia
- Mediterranean anemia
- Diagnostic tests
Ask for free advice from a doctor right away
This is a reduction in hemoglobin values in the blood, which can be due to various causes.
We speak of anemia when the concentration of hemoglobin in the blood falls below 13 g / dl in men and below 12 g / dl in women.
Anemia is caused by a decrease in the number of red blood cells in the blood, due to several factors:
- reduced production or excessive breakdown of red blood cells by the body
- the loss of red blood cells due to bleeding
- genetic defects, such as in the case of sickle cell anemia.
Ask for free advice from a doctor right away
In addition, anemia can also be caused by a lack of iron , which is essential for producing hemoglobin, which allows red blood cells to bind oxygen and transport it throughout the body.
The most obvious symptom of anemia is pale skin and mucous membranes. Other warning signs are a persistent sense of weakness, rapid heartbeat , constant headache , rapid breathing, lightheadedness.
There are different types of anemia: here are the main ones and their respective causes.
| Form of anemia | Causes |
| Simple chronic anemia | Infectious and inflammatory diseases or chronic diseases such as tuberculosis, joint rheumatism, chronic renal failure, leukemia etc. |
| Hemolytic anemia | Infectious diseases such as viral pneumonia , streptococcal septicemia , malaria |
| Iron deficiency anemia | Insufficient dietary iron intake, bleeding or bleeding, poor intestinal absorption, increased iron requirement |
| Mediterranean anemia | Genetic mutation |
Let’s see them now in detail.
Simple chronic anemia
The symptoms are the general ones of anemia. This form is caused by infectious and inflammatory diseases or by various chronic diseases: tuberculosis, joint rheumatism, chronic renal failure, leukemia, etc.
The therapy of simple chronic anemia depends on the disease that caused it and it is therefore necessary first of all to understand which disorder is at its origin.
Hemolytic anemia
Excessive destruction of red blood cells occurs in haemolytic anemias.
In acute forms, the most common symptoms are chills, fever, joint and abdominal pain , yellow skin and mucous membranes. In chronic forms, on the other hand, there is an enlargement of the spleen or liver .
Infectious diseases such as viral pneumonia, streptococcal septicemia, malaria can cause hemolytic anemia.
Among the acute forms, typical is Lederer-Brill haemolytic anemia which mainly affects children and adolescents: it begins with high fever, epistaxis (nosebleeds) and hematuria (blood in the urine).
Iron deficiency anemia
As the name implies, it is characterized by reduced levels of iron in the body, which is essential for the synthesis of hemoglobin and therefore for the transport of oxygen.
It manifests itself with a set of symptoms: general weakness, loss of appetite, heartburn , neuralgic pain, tingling in the hands and feet.
Iron deficiency can be caused by insufficient dietary intake, haemorrhages or bleeding (as in the case of heavy menstruation), poor intestinal absorption (due both to diseases such as chronic intestinal diseases or celiac disease , and to surgery) . Furthermore, the lack of iron can also be due to the increase in its need in stages of life such as pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Mediterranean anemia
Widespread especially in the Mediterranean areas, it is a hereditary blood disease caused by a genetic defect that causes the destruction of red blood cells, a lower presence of hemoglobin and therefore a poor oxygenation of tissues, organs and muscles .
It is a disease that causes debilitation and prevents normal growth. Sufferers must undergo frequent blood transfusions.
In the less severe form, the symptoms are mild or not very evident. In the most severe form they manifest themselves already after the first two years of life.
Diagnostic tests
To check if you are in the presence of anemia and to understand its cause, the doctor prescribes some laboratory tests: among these, the blood count, which quantifies the number of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets in the blood.
It is also important to measure the concentration of iron and ferritin in the blood. Then there is the examination of the occult blood in the stool which allows to understand if there are hemorrhages in the gastrointestinal tract.
Based on the results of these and other tests, the specialist can determine which anemia it treats and which therapy to prescribe.
