Subscribe
Iron-deficiency Anemia
Why is there iron deficiency anemia?
Iron deficiency anemia refers to the anemia that occurs when the body's stored iron is depleted and can no longer meet the needs for normal red blood cell production. Before the production of red blood cells is limited, the body's iron stores are exhausted, but at this time, there are no obvious changes of anemia in the routine blood test; this condition is called iron deficiency. Iron deficiency anemia has its characteristics. Its main clinical manifestations are tissue and organ hypoxia caused by ischemia. Severe iron deficiency anemia can lead to mucosal tissue changes and some nutritional disorders, such as stomatitis, glossitis, atrophic gastritis, lack of gastric acid, dry skin, brittle hair, hair loss, and flat nails, among other changes. Therefore, any factors that cause iron deficiency in the body and affect iron absorption, including increased physiological iron demands, iron storage, and issues in iron excretion processes, can lead to iron deficiency anemia. The main causes can be divided into three aspects:1. Nutritional factors: Individuals such as infants, adolescents, menstruating women, pregnant women, and breastfeeding women are prone to nutritional iron deficiency anemia when the body's iron demand increases.2. Chronic blood loss: This includes gastrointestinal bleeding, heavy menstrual bleeding in women, bleeding hemorrhoids in men, and chronic bleeding from gastrointestinal ulcers, all of which can cause iron deficiency anemia.3. Absorption disorders: Conditions like total or partial gastrectomy can lead to iron deficiency years after the surgery, resulting in iron deficiency anemia.
Is iron deficiency anemia severe?
Iron deficiency anemia refers to a type of benign anemia that occurs when the body's iron stores are depleted and can no longer meet the needs of normal red blood cell production. Before the production of red blood cells is restricted, the body's iron stores are depleted, but at this time there are no anemic changes in routine blood tests. This condition is referred to as iron deficiency. The characteristic of iron deficiency anemia is the lack of available iron in bone marrow and other tissues, with a decrease in serum ferritin and transferrin saturation. The blood picture, including the bone marrow appearance, presents as a microcytic hypochromic anemia. The severity of iron deficiency anemia depends on the degree of the anemia. Mild anemia generally does not significantly impact the patient's daily activities, as most patients can tolerate it. However, moderate, severe, or very severe anemia can severely affect the patient's body and the essential blood and oxygen supply, leading to tissue ischemia and hypoxia. In severe cases of anemia, some patients may experience palpitations, shortness of breath, heart failure, anemia-induced heart disease, arrhythmias, and even transient fainting, which are serious complications. Therefore, it is advised to treat iron deficiency anemia early and regularly, identify the causes promptly, and address them fundamentally to achieve complete recovery.
What to do about vomiting from iron deficiency anemia?
Patients with iron deficiency anemia experiencing vomiting might have the following possible causes: Firstly, iron deficiency can lead to systemic hypoxia, including in the gastrointestinal tract, manifesting as reduced appetite and poor digestion. Severe cases may present with nausea and vomiting. This situation can be addressed by transfusing red blood cells and implementing aggressive iron supplementation to correct the anemia. Once the anemia is corrected, symptoms of nausea and vomiting should disappear. Concurrently, temporary use of anti-emetic medications such as metoclopramide can be considered to help control the vomiting. Secondly, some patients with iron deficiency anemia may have underlying gastric diseases that cause chronic bleeding, including gastric ulcers, gastric mucosal erosion, or even gastric cancer. These gastric diseases themselves can also lead to vomiting, necessitating further investigations like gastroscopy to establish a clear diagnosis and provide targeted treatment.
How does iron-deficiency anemia affect pregnant women?
First of all, iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy is very common, and it is also a very common complication we encounter in prenatal screening. The reason for anemia during pregnancy is due to the increased demand for iron as the fetus grows, and maternal intake is insufficient. Iron deficiency anemia can lead to severe bleeding during childbirth, and if a cesarean section is performed, it may adversely affect the healing of the incision. Furthermore, iron deficiency anemia may affect fetal intelligence. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure proper prenatal screening during pregnancy to prevent severe anemia. If anemia is severe, blood transfusion treatment may be necessary during childbirth or cesarean delivery.
Should I take vitamin C for iron deficiency anemia?
Patients with iron deficiency anemia mostly suffer from anemia due to lack of iron, but in a small proportion of cases, the essence of their anemia is due to the number of red blood cells or hemoglobin per unit volume of blood being below normal levels. Therefore, any factor that can lead to reduced production or excessive destruction, or loss of red blood cells or hemoglobin can cause anemia. Can patients with iron deficiency anemia consume vitamin C? The main treatment plan for iron deficiency anemia includes four aspects. First, general treatment aims to prevent and reduce various factors that induce iron deficiency. Second, etiological treatment involves identifying a cause whenever possible and controlling the primary iron deficiency related to that cause, such as actively combatting hookworm infection in cases of hookworm disease, stopping bleeding and actively treating ulcers in cases of ulcerative bleeding, and actively controlling menstrual flow in women with heavy periods. Third is the supplementation of iron, which should ideally be taken with vitamin C as it can enhance the absorption of iron. Therefore, patients with iron deficiency anemia can indeed consume vitamin C.
Prevention and treatment of iron deficiency anemia
Some cases of iron deficiency anemia are preventable, which highlights the importance of education on nutritional knowledge and maternal and child healthcare. This includes improving infant feeding practices, advocating for breastfeeding, and timely introduction of complementary foods. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should appropriately supplement with iron. In areas where hookworm is prevalent, large-scale parasite prevention and control measures should be implemented, and timely treatment of various chronic gastrointestinal bleeding disorders should be carried out to reduce iron loss. Additionally, increasing iron intake can help prevent and control iron deficiency anemia. Also, high-risk groups, including infants, preterm babies, twins, pregnant women, individuals who have undergone gastrectomy, and those who frequently donate blood, should prevent and supplement with oral iron supplements for treatment.
Is donkey-hide gelatin effective for iron deficiency anemia?
Oral consumption of donkey-hide gelatin is ineffective for iron deficiency anemia. Iron deficiency anemia requires iron supplementation treatment, but while donkey-hide gelatin is rich in collagen, it is not rich in iron, thus it is ineffective for treating iron deficiency anemia through oral consumption. For iron deficiency anemia, a diet rich in iron, such as animal liver, lean meats, and blood products, which are rich in iron, should be pursued. Additionally, it is necessary to avoid strong tea, as it contains tannins that can chelate iron and affect its absorption.
What is the fastest way to treat iron deficiency anemia?
The treatment of iron deficiency anemia mainly includes two aspects: one is iron supplementation, and the other is identifying and correcting the underlying cause of the anemia. Iron supplementation for patients with iron deficiency anemia can be administered orally or via intravenous infusion, the latter of which tends to be faster. Generally, hemoglobin begins to rise about a week after treatment starts, and returns to normal levels within two to three weeks. Even after hemoglobin levels normalize, iron supplementation should continue for three to six months. It is more important to identify and treat the underlying causes of anemia. Common causes of iron deficiency anemia include chronic blood loss, such as from gastrointestinal ulcers or tumors. Therefore, patients with iron deficiency anemia typically need to undergo gastrointestinal endoscopy to identify the specific cause of the iron deficiency.
Can people with iron deficiency anemia drink tea?
The first aspect of treating patients with iron deficiency anemia is etiological treatment. It is necessary to remove the causes of iron deficiency as much as possible. While simple iron supplementation can restore blood indices, if the primary disease is not actively treated, it cannot fundamentally solve anemia. If left untreated, anemia in patients is prone to recurrence. Secondly, iron supplementation is the clinical priority, with oral iron supplements being the most commonly used treatment. Ferrous preparations such as ferrous succinate and ferrous fumarate are most often used. These medications are generally taken with meals or after meals to reduce gastrointestinal irritation. This raises the issue of whether patients with iron deficiency anemia can drink tea. When iron supplements are taken with tea, they can bind with the tannins in the tea to form an insoluble precipitate that is difficult to absorb. Thus, it is clinically advised that patients with iron deficiency anemia should avoid drinking tea, as it can reduce the absorption of iron and thus result in suboptimal treatment outcomes.
What department should I go to for iron deficiency anemia?
Iron is one of the essential trace elements for the human body, and it is the most likely to be deficient among trace elements. Iron deficiency can lead to iron deficiency anemia, which is also identified by the World Health Organization as one of the global nutritional deficiency diseases and a major public health nutrition issue in China. According to epidemiological surveys, iron deficiency is related to the following factors: improper feeding during infancy, picky eating and nosebleeds during childhood and adolescence. In women, it is associated with excessive menstrual flow, poor nutrition, inadequate protein intake (especially low intake of animal proteins), inappropriate consumption methods of dairy products, as well as repeated pregnancies, breastfeeding, and certain diseases such as atrophic gastritis, chronic diarrhea, significant gastric resection, and hookworm infections, all of which can cause iron deficiency. Therefore, patients with iron deficiency anemia should consult the department of hematology, as iron deficiency anemia falls under the category of red blood cell disorders within hematology. Of course, infants, children, and adolescents under the age of 14 can visit pediatrics, and a portion of patients, such as pregnant and lactating women, can visit the obstetrics department.