Blood Cells & Why It's Important

How is anemia diagnosed and evaluated? Common symptoms of anemia include fatigue, irritability, headaches and difficulty concentrating. Your physician may detect a heart murmur or note a significant decrease in your blood pressure when you stand. A blood sample will provide an overall count of your white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. If results show anemia, additional tests may be required to determine the type of anemia and whether it is related to a more serious condition. Among these tests are: hemoglobin electrophoresis to assess hemoglobin levels in your blood a reticulocyte count to determine if your bone marrow is making red blood cells at the normal rate serum iron and serum ferritin tests to check the amount of iron in your blood and body a peripheral blood smear to see if anemia has caused the shape of your red blood cells to change an osmotic fragility test to determine if your red blood cells have become more fragile than usual Oth...

Dear loyal readers of our blog, i'm very sure that by now most of you would have already understood what and how anemia happens in a person's body. Together with that, the complications of the condition due to undiagnosed or untreated anemia is equally important to be known. COMPLICATIONS DUE TO ANEMIA    Iron deficiency anemia rarely causes any serious or long-term complications. However, some people with iron deficiency anemia find that it affects their daily life. Some of the more common complications are outlined below. Tiredness As iron deficiency anemia can leave you tired and lethargic (lacking in energy), you may be less productive and active at work. Your ability to stay awake and focus can be reduced, and you may not feel able to exercise regularly. Immune system Research has shown that iron deficiency anemia can affect your immune system (the body's natural defence system), making you more susceptible to illness and infection. Heart and lung ...

WHAT? Iron deficiency anemia is a common type of anemia — a condition in which blood lacks adequate healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen to the body's tissues. As the name implies, iron deficiency anemia is due to insufficient iron. Without enough iron, your body can't produce enough of a substance in red blood cells that enables them to carry oxygen (hemoglobin). As a result, iron deficiency anemia may leave you tired and short of breath. You can usually correct iron deficiency anemia with iron supplementation. Sometimes additional tests or treatments for iron deficiency anemia are necessary, especially if your doctor suspects that you're bleeding internally. CHANGES Initially, iron deficiency anemia can be so mild that it goes unnoticed. But as the body becomes more deficient in iron and anemia worsens, the signs and symptoms intensify. Iron deficiency anemia signs and symptoms may include: Extreme fatigue Weakness Pale skin Ch...