Causes<br />Anemia results from reduced red blood cells. It is caused due to various reasons like:<br />Reduced production of red blood cells as in iron deficiency anemia or megaloblastic anemia<br />Excess blood loss: blood loss can be due to external bleeding like in road traffic accidents or internal bleeding as in hookworm infection, excess bleeding during periods (menstruation), long term use of drugs like aspirin or pain killers, etc<br />Destruction of the red blood cells: Hemolytic anemias<br />Autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, etc<br />Risk factors include:<br />Contact your provider if experiencing new, severe, or persistent symptoms.<br />Symptoms of anemia vary depending on the cause of anemia. It may include:<br />Fatigue<br />Weakness<br />Pale skin<br />Cold hands and feet<br />Dizziness<br />Reduced immunity - more prone to infections<br />Shortness of breath<br />Common symptoms and their severity as reported by people on Patients like me.<br />Anxious mood<br />Depressed mood<br />Pain<br />Stress<br />Prevention<br />Few of the causes of anemia like iron deficiency anemia or megaloblastic anemia can be prevented by:<br />Consuming healthy diet rich in iron<br />Consuming Vitamin B12 and folic acid<br />Increasing the intake of vitamin C, as it helps in better absorption of iron from food<br />Reducing tea and coffee intake as it reduces the absorption of iron from food<br />Complications<br />If untreated, it may lead to severe fatigue that interferes in the daily activities<br />Anemia, especially due to foliate deficiency, can cause various complications in pregnancy including defective development of the baby and premature delivery<br />Anemia can lead to the rapid or irregular heartbeat. In anemia, the heart has to pump more blood to compensate for the lack of oxygen in the blood. This leads to increase in the size of the heart or heart failure<br />Loss of excess blood, as in road traffic accidents can lead to very severe anemia and can be fatal<br />Malnutrition - low iron diet, Vitamin B12 and folate<br />Problems in absorption of nutrients due to conditions like Crohn's disease or Celiac disease<br />Excessive bleeding during menstruation<br />Lack of balanced diet during pregnancy<br />Family history<br /><br />د. فرقد صالح<br /><br /><br />The first university in Iraq