Which department should I go to for iron deficiency anemia?

Written by He Li Fang
Hematology
Updated on September 02, 2024
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The formed elements in the blood include red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, which play important roles in cellular metabolism, defense, and hemostasis, respectively. Among them, anemia falls under the category of red blood cell diseases. Iron-deficiency anemia refers to a condition where the body's iron stores are depleted, failing to meet the needs for normal red blood cell production. Before the production of red blood cells is restricted, the body's iron stores are already depleted, but anemia has not yet occurred, a condition we call iron deficiency, also known as the subclinical iron deficiency period clinically. Iron-deficiency anemia is a common red blood cell disease and falls under the category of hematology. Therefore, patients with iron-deficiency anemia should consult a specialist in hematology.

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Written by Li Fang Fang
Hematology
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Can iron deficiency anemia be cured?

Iron deficiency anemia is treatable, but it is essential to identify the cause of the iron deficiency. The treatment of iron deficiency anemia is divided into two main parts. The first part involves iron supplementation, which can be administered orally or intravenously, with intravenous supplementation generally being more effective and faster. The second part is crucial: identifying the cause of the iron deficiency. For example, common causes in women of childbearing age include heavy menstrual periods, while older patients often suffer from gastrointestinal tumors or ulcers, and in children, the common cause is usually nutritional deficiency. It is vital to treat the underlying cause.

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Written by He Li Fang
Hematology
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Symptoms of iron deficiency anemia

The clinical manifestations of iron deficiency anemia consist of symptoms due to the anemia itself, specific manifestations of iron deficiency, and the underlying diseases causing the iron deficiency. The onset of anemia is often insidious, with some patients progressing very slowly. Initially, patients can adapt well to daily life and continue with their work, making it difficult to detect. It is usually not until the anemia becomes moderate to severe and symptoms become apparent that it is discovered. Common symptoms of anemia include dizziness, headaches, weakness, easy fatigue, palpitations, and shortness of breath after activity. Some patients might also experience a decline in memory and suffer from tinnitus and blurred vision. Some affected children may exhibit delayed growth and development or even abnormal behaviors, which can manifest as irritability, restlessness, inattention in class, and declining academic performance. A few patients may develop pica, a specific manifestation of iron deficiency anemia. Additionally, some patients might suffer from angular cheilitis, glossitis, and even atrophy of the tongue papillae. Severe cases can experience transient blindness and fainting, hence it is crucial to seek medical attention for iron deficiency anemia at the earliest.

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Written by Zhang Xiao Le
Hematology
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Does iron deficiency anemia cause tiredness?

Patients with iron-deficiency anemia can exhibit symptoms of fatigue. Anemia is characterized by red blood cells and hemoglobin levels that are below the normal range. Red blood cells are the main cells responsible for transporting oxygen in the body. Oxygen enters the blood through gas exchange in the lungs and is then delivered throughout the body by red blood cells to supply oxygen. Therefore, patients with anemia will show varying degrees of ischemia and hypoxia. In the nervous system, this can be manifested as lethargy, insomnia, frequent dreaming, tinnitus, blurry vision, fainting, and lack of concentration. As the severity of anemia increases, these symptoms may also worsen. Patients with severe anemia may exhibit significant lethargy and drowsiness.

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Written by He Li Fang
Hematology
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Characteristics of iron deficiency anemia blood picture

The clinical manifestations of iron deficiency anemia are due to the specific characteristics of anemia caused by iron deficiency and the underlying disease causing the iron deficiency. Its hematological characteristics present as typical microcytic hypochromic anemia. What does this concept mean? It refers to the values in a complete blood count where MCV is less than 80 femtoliters, MCH is less than 27 picograms, and MCHC is less than 30%. MCV refers to the average red blood cell volume, MCH refers to the mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, and MCHC refers to the mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration of red blood cells. The extent of changes in red blood cell indices correlates with the duration and severity of anemia. The blood smear typically shows pale-stained red blood cells with an enlarged central pallor and varying sizes. Platelet count often tends to be high when there is concurrent bleeding and generally tends to be low in infants and children. White blood cell count is usually normal or slightly reduced, with normal differential. These are the hematological characteristics of iron deficiency anemia.

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Causes of Iron Deficiency Anemia

There are many reasons for iron deficiency anemia, which we can categorize into several aspects. The first aspect is a decrease in iron intake, including diet, meaning insufficient dietary intake. The second aspect is decreased absorption, such as the absence of a target organ for absorption or the lack of stomach acid affecting its absorption efficacy. The second aspect refers to excessive loss, most commonly chronic gastrointestinal bleeding, such as in patients with tumors, duodenal ulcers, gastric ulcers, gastritis, ulcerative colitis, a parasitic infection with hookworms, as well as hemorrhoids, and arteriovenous malformations, all of which can cause gastrointestinal bleeding leading to increased iron loss. Excessive menstrual flow in female patients, multiple blood donations, and multiple pregnancies can all lead to iron deficiency. These are the various causes related to iron deficiency.