Anemia

Anemia

Add people who have or had anemia or their death is related to anemia.

Anemia, also spelled anaemia, is usually defined as a decrease in the amount of red blood cells (RBCs) or hemoglobin in the blood. It can also be defined as a lowered ability of the blood to carry oxygen. When anemia comes on slowly, the symptoms are often vague and may include: feeling tired, weakness, shortness of breath or a poor ability to exercise. Anemia that comes on quickly often has greater symptoms, which may include: confusion, feeling like one is going to pass out, loss of consciousness, or increased thirst. Anemia must be significant before a person becomes noticeably pale. Additional symptoms may occur depending on the underlying cause.

There are three main types of anemia:

1. that due to blood loss,
2. that due to decreased red blood cell production, and
3. that due to increased red blood cell breakdown.

• Causes of blood loss include trauma and gastrointestinal bleeding, among others.
• Causes of decreased production include iron deficiency, a lack of vitamin B12, thalassemia, and a number of neoplasms of the bone marrow.
• Causes of increased breakdown include a number of genetic conditions such as sickle cell anemia, infections like malaria, and certain autoimmune diseases.
• It can also be classified based on the size of red blood cells and amount of hemoglobin in each cell. If the cells are small, it is microcytic anemia. If they are large, it is macrocytic anemia while if they are normal sized, it is normocytic anemia.
• Bone marrow and stem cell problems – may prevent the body from producing a sufficient amount of red blood cells
• Other conditions which cause a decreased amount of hormones necessary for the production of red blood cells, such as kidney disease, cancer and lupus

Evidence of anemia goes back more than 4000 years. The word anaemia is from Greek, meaning without blood (an=without, heam =blood).

Morbidity and Mortality in Anemia

Anemia prognosis depends on the underlying cause of anemia. However, the severity of the anemia, its etiology, and the rapidity with which it develops can each play a significant role in the prognosis. Similarly, the age of the patient and the existence of other co-morbid conditions influence outcome. Higher mortality rates are almost always observed in patients with anemia.

• Aplastic anemia – In the early 1930’s aplastic anemia was considered almost inevitably fatal. However, the morbidity and mortality of this disease have decreased dramatically since the introduction of bone marrow transplantation and immunosuppressive therapy.
• Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia – Pernicious anemia is associated with intestinal-type gastric cancer, low vitamin B12 intake. There are also a variety of neurologic problems associated with vitamin B12 deficiency. It is also associated with aqn increased risk of osteoporosis which can result in hip and spine fractures.
• Folic acid deficiency anemia – This type of anemia of often found in pregnancy and can contribute to problems with the placenta. It is also associated with colon cancer.
• Thalassemia (Mediterranean anemia)– is a form of inherited autosomal recessive blood disorder characterized by abnormal formation of hemoglobin. Iron excess in patients with thalassemia is associated with early death if untreated as the risk of cardiac disease increases as the patient’s age increases.
• Sickle cell anemia – The greatest burden of sickle cell anemia is in sub-Saharan Africa and estimates suggest that 50-80 % of these patients will die before adulthood.
• Iron deficiency anaemia – Iron deficiency is the most common and widespread nutritional disorder in the world, and is the only nutrient deficiency which is also significantly prevalent in Industrialized Countries. Infectious diseases frequently exacerbate it.

Famous People with or died from Anemia:

• Famous People With Blood Diseases
• 7 Black Celebrities You May Not Know Have Sickle Cell Anemia
• Selena Gomez is “exhausted” and “malnourished” By Dr. Michele Berman on June 14, 2011
• 9 Celebrities with Sickle Cell Disease
• Paul Williams, born on July 2, 1939, was an American singer. He suffered sickle cell anemia
• Tim Shaw: One famous personality in Olympic history is Tim Shaw (Olympic Swimmer) who managed to win a silver medal in the 1976 games despite being diagnosed with severe iron deficiency anemia at the Olympic trials.
• Larenz Tate – Actor with Sickle cell anemia
• Tiki Barber – NFL running back with Sickle cell anemia
• Miles Davis – Jazz musician with Sickle cell anemia
• Selena Gomez – actress, pop singer with Iron-deficiency anemia
• Brittany Murphy – (died 12/10) Actres who died of pneumonia, severe iron deficiency anemia & drug intoxication (http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/murphy-monjack-twin-deaths-my...)
• Simon Monjack (died 23 May 2010) died of acute pneumonia & severe anemia
• Alexander Graham Bell - (inventor) - Pernicious anemia
• Mia Hamm (olympic soccer medalist) - aplastic anemia (her brother)
• Eleanor Roosevelt – Aplastic Anemia

Additional Reading:

• Wikipedia - Anemia
• Wikipedia - Pernicious anemia (Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia)
• Wikipedia - Folate deficiency
• Wikipedia - Thalassemia
• Wikipedia - Aplastic anemia
• Mayo Clinic - Anemia
• Morbidity and Mortality in Anemia By Fawzia Ahmed Habib, Intessar Sultan and Shaista Salman
• Late-Life Anemia Affects Morbidity and Mortality
• Statistics about Anemia
• World Health Organization – Micronutrient deficiencies
• Home Remedies To Cure Anemia
• Do you have symptoms of Anemia, Depression, Fatigue and Leaky Gut?
• 10 Top Superfoods to Combat Anemia
• How to treat and overcome iron deficiency anemia?
• Sickle Cell Anemia, Crisis and Cure

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