Aplastic Anemia

Anemia is a medical condition defined as having low amounts of red blood cells, thus transporting low levels of oxygen in the blood. Common symptoms include fatigue, weakness, and shortness of breath. Causes for anemia vary, depending on the severity and duration of illness. Regular anemia can result with low levels of iron in the blood. (Mayo Clinic, 2014)

Anemia is a disorder of the blood. It occurs when your body does not produce enough erythrocytes or red blood cells (RBCs). Without the erythrocytes oxygen can not be adequately delivered to the tissues and organs throughout the body. This will cause you to become weak and tired. A person may also experience headaches, skin pallor, and faintness. Your body may attempt to compensate for these symptoms by speeding up the heart rate and respiratory rate. This is the body’s attempt to return oxygen levels to normal(Thibodeau and Patton, 2005).

The most prominent cause of Iron Deficiency Anemia is bleeding. Blood loss from the Gastrointestinal Tract is a significant cause of anemia for both men and women. When blood is present in excrement, a gastrointestinal problem exists. Many times, people are unaware of these problems with their waste products. When they begin to feel the symptoms of anemia and undergo tests that determine that they are anemic, it begins the process of discovering more health problems. Anemia can serve as the precursor of certain diseases. There are many instances when it is merely a sign of severe disease such as a peptic ulcer disease, gastritis, hemorrhoids, angiodysplasis of the colon, and colonic adenocarcinoma (http://www.physsportsmed.com/issues/sep_96/browne.htm).

According to the study, the symptoms of anemia include malaise, lethargy, fatigue, swelling belly, pale skin, poor appetite, numerous infections, and crankiness.

1. Which of the following anemias is caused by a failure of the bone marrow to produce red blood cells and may be congenital or acquired?

As a provider, one will care for many patients that have different types of anemia. Anemia is not so much as a disease as a symptom of an underlying issue. Although there can be particular signs and symptoms associated with anemia, the basis of a diagnosis is from laboratory data. For the purpose of this discussion, I will evaluate a case study and give a differential diagnosis. I will also assess how patient history, physical exam, and lab reports support my diagnosis. I will explain the pathophysiology of the type of anemia and give causes and treatment options available.

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, is the disease that affects children the most and because of the abnormal cells that are immature white blood cells which cannot help the body fight infections cause children with the disease to often get infections and have fevers (National Cancer Institute, 2002, p. 1). The symptoms that the patient with ALL may have depend on the number of abnormal cells of the patient where exactly the cells collect. Children patients with ALL have low amounts of healthy red blood cells and platelets, which cause less oxygen to be carried through the body because of the lack of red blood cells. Patients at times may look pale, feel weak, and tired causing bleeding and bruising very easily because of their lack of enough platelets. This condition is called anemia. Anemia is very much common in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Fever, fatigue, bone or joint pain, tiny red spots under the skin called petechiae are a couple of symptoms that the disease ALL has. Headaches with, or without vomiting also may occur if patient happens to have abnormal cells collecting in the brain or spinal cord (National Cancer Institute, 2002 para. 2).

This anemia results in fatigue and a number of the following problems;pain episodes, strokes, susceptibility to bacterial infections, particularly in children, leg ulcers, bone damage, yellow eyes or jaundice, early gallstones, lung blockage, increased infections, kidney damage and loss of body water in urine, painful erections in men, blood blockage in the spleen or liver, eye damage, low red blood cell counts (anemia), and delayed growth.

People who have Myelodysplastic Syndrome may not experience symptoms at the beginning of the disease. However, there are three main signs that can develop and alert healthcare providers that something is wrong. One of these is a low red blood cell count, or Anemia. Most patients that have myelodysplastic syndromes exhibit this indicator when first diagnosed. A normal red blood count can vary between 4.0 and 6.1 million red blood cells per microliter of blood in the body, depending on the age and sex of the patient. A red blood cell count lower than normal is characteristic of Anemia (Cafasso, Jacquelyn, and Gotter). Not only is Anemia shown by constantly low hematocrit, but it can also be characterized by constantly low hemoglobin. A normal hemoglobin count is between 12.0 and 15.5 grams per deciliter of blood for females, and 13.5 to 17.5 grams per deciliter of blood for males. Levels lower than these show a low hemoglobin level (Mayo Clinic, Hemoglobin Test). Hemoglobin is the protein in blood that carries oxygen to the different tissues in the body.

Myelodysplastic syndrome is caused when blood forming cells in the bone marrow are damaged, so in this case Myelodysplastic syndrome is not contagious. There are different types of treatment, chemotherapy or a bone marrow transplant. Chemotherapy can be orally taken or injected into the bloodstream. Like all treatments there are various side effects such as loss of hair, loss in appetite, drowsiness, lack of taste, nausea, and a weak immune system. Once the person is diagnosed and finds out how severe their diagnosis is, they are immediately treated to prevent the syndrome from getting worse (Elaine 51). To prevent the syndrome or try to help the syndrome, try exercising more and eating healthier. Exercising and eating a healthy diet helps reduce fatigue and drowsiness. Also, not smoking lowers your risk of getting diagnosed with this syndrome (Elaine 77).

Also known as normocytic anemia. This is the most frequent type of anemia most often happening to males over 85 years old. It is a common problem that occurs to men and women over 85 years old. Symptoms include and are caused by: a reduced production of normal-sized red blood cells even though presence of hemoglobin in the red blood cells is within the standard range; an increased production of HbS as is seen in sickle cell diseases; greater destruction and loss of red blood cells; an increase in plasma volume that is not compensated by anything else; a B2 (riboflavin) deficiency; and a B6 (pyridoxine) deficiency. (Brill & Baumgardner 2000).

* Anemia-related fatigue occurs when there is a decrease in red blood cells (RBCs). This happens when myeloma cells replace RBCs in the bone marrow.

Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia is a blood disorder r that is inherited and it is also present at birth. Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia is just one of the many types of anemia, which are conditions that affect the red blood cells. When a person has anemia they have a shortage of RBC’s. Red blood cells are important in maintaining homeostasis in the body. The main functions of the red blood cells are to transport oxygenated blood to the tissues of the body. With that being said, when people suffer from anemia do not get the adequate amount of oxygen to the tissues of their body. The symptoms of anemia vary from person to person, some experience weakness, while other are more fatigued (www.ghr.nih.gov). Other symptoms include pale skin, chest pains and tachycardia or fast or irregular heart rate/ beat.

A rare blood disorder in which the bone marrow does not produce enough Red Blood Cells. Without enough production of Red Blood cells your body cannot carry Oxygen efficiently, it also cannot remove carbon dioxide from your body through the lungs, like it should.

For children suffering from autoimmune hemolytic anemia, therapy and treatment will be based upon the child’s age, the general health of the child, and the child’s medical record. Treatment will also depend on the extent of the anemia, the cause of the anemia, and the child's tolerance for certain medications, and potential course of the anemia. The treatment for children with autoimmune hemolytic anemia may consist of blood transfusions, corticosteroid medications, and possible surgical removal of the spleen, for children who do not respond to other treatments.