PHYSIOLOGY OF ANEMIA FROM GUYTON

1. ANEMIA AND ITS TYPES

2. ANEMIA
• Anemia is a condition in which your blood has
a lower than normal number of red blood
cells.
• Anemia also can occur if your red blood cells
don't contain enough hemoglobin.
Hemoglobin is an iron-rich protein that gives
blood its red color. This protein helps red
blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs to the
rest of the body.

3. CONT
• If you have anemia, your body doesn't get
enough oxygen-rich blood. As a result, you
may feel tired or weak. You also may have
other symptoms, such as shortness of breath,
dizziness, or headaches.
• Severe or long-lasting anemia can damage
your heart, brain, and other organs in your
body. Very severe anemia may even cause
death.

4. OUTLOOK.
• Blood is made up of many parts, including red
blood cells, white blood cells, platelets , and
plasma (the fluid portion of blood).
• Red blood cells are disc-shaped and look like
doughnuts without holes in the center. They carry
oxygen and remove carbon dioxide (a waste
product) from your body. These cells are made in
the bone marrow—a sponge-like tissue inside the
bones.
•

5. cont
• White blood cells and platelets also are made
in the bone marrow. White blood cells help
fight infection. Platelets stick together to seal
small cuts or breaks on the blood vessel walls
and stop bleeding. With some types of
anemia, you may have low numbers of all
three types of cells.

6. • Anemia has three main causes: blood loss,
lack of red blood cell production, or high rates
of red blood cell destruction. These causes
might be the result of diseases, conditions, or
other factors.
• Many types of anemia can be mild, short
term, and easily treated. You can even prevent
some types with a healthy diet. Other types
can be treated with dietary supplements.

7. cont
• However, certain types of anemia can be
severe, long lasting, and even life threatening
if not diagnosed and treated.
• If you have signs or symptoms of anemia, see
your doctor to find out whether you have the
condition. Treatment will depend on the cause
of the anemia and how severe it is.

8. TYPES OF ANEMIA
• There are more than 400 types of anemia.
These types of anemia are divided into three
main groups, according to their cause.
There is anemia caused by
• blood loss.
• decreased or faulty red blood cell production.
• destruction of red blood cells

9. Cont
• Anemia caused by blood loss is the result of
chronic bleeding. Common causes of chronic
bleeding related to anemia include
gastrointestinal conditions such as ulcers, use
of nonsteriodal anti- inflammatory drugs
including aspirin , and menstruation and
childbirth.

10. cont
• Sickle cell anemia, iron deficiency anemia,
vitamin deficiency, and bone marrow and
stem cell problems are associated with
anemia as the result of decreased or faulty red
blood cell production. Because there are
either too few blood cells or blood cells are
not functioning correctly, anemia can result. A
lack of vitamins or minerals can cause blood
cells to be faulty.

11. cont
• Hemolytic anemia is anemia caused by the
destruction of red blood cells. Bloods cells are
destroyed because they are too fragile to
withstand the routine stress of the circulatory
system. This condition may be present at birth
or develop over time. Sometimes there is no
known cause for the development of
hemolytic anemia.

12. COMMON TYPES
1. MICROCYTIC HYPOCHROMIC/ BLOOD LOSS
ANEMIA:
RBCs small sized & contain less amount of Hb.
CAUSES:
a) Haemorrhage: Person cannot absorb enough
Fe from GIT to form Hb as rapidly as it is lost.
So RBSs are small sized & contains less Hb.
b) Transferrin deficiency

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2. APLASTIC ANEMIA :
RBC is decreased due to bone marrow aplasia
or lack of functioning bone marrow.
CAUSES:
a) Gamma rays
b) X rays
c) Chemicals
d) Drugs

14. cont
3. MEGALOBLASTIC ANEMIA
( Pernicious, Macrocytic, Maturation Failure
Anemia.)
DEFINITION: In this type erythroblasts are large
and odd-shaped called megaloblasts and the
mature RBC is called Macrocyte.
CAUSES :
a) Lack of vit B12 .b) Lack of Folic acid. c) Lack of
Intrinsic factor.(Pernicious Anemia)

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4. HEMOLYTIC ANEMIA :
RBCs rupture and release Hb
FOUR TYPES :
A) HEREDITARY SPHEROCYTOSIS.
B) SICKLE CELL ANEMIA.
C) THALLASEMIA
D) ERYTHROBLSTOSIS FETALIS.

16. A)HEREDITARY SPHEROCYTOSIS
• RBC are small and spherical rather then
biconcave discs, do not have loose bag like
membrane, so cannot be compressed so
ruptures on passing through splenic pulp.

17. B) SICKLE CELL ANEMIA
• RBC s contain abnormal HBs. HBs precipitates
into long crystals in low oxygen tension. Long
crystals give them sickle shape to RBC. HB
damages cell membrane and make them fragile,
SO rupture on passing through small capillaries.
• Sickle cell Disease Crisis: This occurs when the
flow of blood is blocked to an area because the
sickled cells have become stuck in the blood
vessel

18. C) THALESSEMIA
• RBS are unable to synthesize adequate
amounts of alpha or beta chains to form Hb.
• Cells contain less Hb. This Hb precipitate into
hard crystals. Cells are small and fragile .
Rupture on passing through tissue and
capillaries.

19. D) ERYTROBLASTOSIS FETALIS
• Rh –ve mother produces antibodies against Rh
+fetus RBCs. Mothers antibodies attack and
ruptures RBCs of fetus.