How to Recognize Complications With Anemia

Anemia is usually easy to treat in the majority of patients. However, because the causes of anemia are varied and the level of its intensity can change dramatically, it's important to consult a doctor to determine which type of anemia you have and what course of action you should take. This is especially important if your anemia is caused by sudden blood loss and could be considered an emergency.

Instructions

Recognize Complications With Anemia

• 1

  Determine which type of anemia you have. There are basically three types: anemia caused by blood loss (usually sudden and serious), haematopoiesis (lack of production of red blood cells) and hemolysis (the breaking of cells, which leads to the loss of hemoglobin). Different causes warrant different treatments, so it's important to understand the causes of your anemia as soon as possible.

• 2

  Look for symptoms and complications such as severe tiredness, sluggishness and breathlessness. Such complications are especially easy to recognize if they come without any notable change in lifestyle and if they interferes with normal daily activities that were previously done with ease.

• 3

  Talk to your doctor to rule out internal complications, such as those related to the heart. Serious cases of anemia may lead to heart damage, especially in the form of high-output heart failure. This is a condition in which the heart has to work at about double the normal output in order to keep up oxygen production. This can result in tiredness and can lead to heart attacks in people with additional problems.

• 4

  Be particularly vigilant with elderly people, pregnant women and teenagers. These groups need careful monitoring, as anemia can result in severe complications faster and more easily in people who are weak, sick or simply growing. In elderly people, severe anemia has been linked to cancer, kidney disease and frequent falls (which can lead to bone breaks).

• 5

  Test for pernicious anemia, a hard-to-recognize complication that can lead to gastric cancer and neurological defects. This is especially serious in the case of pregnant women and small children. Pernicious anemia is sometimes missed during tests, because it's caused by a B12 deficiency rather than a lack of iron in the blood.