Case-study on anemia

1. Anemia
Hemoglobin deficiency
Annie Bajwa

2. What is Anemia?
• Hemoglobin is an iron containing red protein
responsible for transporting oxygen in the blood
of vertebrates. Its molecule comprises four
subunits, each containing an iron atom bound to a
heme group.
• Anemia is a medical condition in which the red
blood cell count or hemoglobin is less than the
normal.
• For men, anemia is defined as hemoglobin level of
less than 13.5 gram/100 ml and in women as
hemoglobin of less than 12.0 gram/100 ml.
Hemoglobin structure

3. What does anemia look like…
What anemia looks like..
Anemia currently affects more than 3 million Americans and an estimated 1.62 billion
globally.

4. Role of Erythropoietin in maintaining Erythropoeisis
A hormone released by kidneys to maintain red blood cell count
The figure (left) shows the
mechanism our body
follows and how
erythropoietin plays vital
role in maintaining RBC
count.

5. What Causes Anemia
Anemia is mainly caused by:
• Blood loss or erythrocyte loss.
• Loss of function of erythropoietin.
• Decreased production or production of
faulty red blood cells.
• Destruction of red blood cells
(hemolysis).
• Not be able to make enough red blood
cells, due to insufficient erythroblasts.

6. What are some symptoms of anemia
• Common symptoms of anemia include:
• Fatigue
• Paleness of skin
• Lack of energy
• Headache
• Breathlessness
• Tachycardia
• Jaundice

7. Measuring Anemia
• Hemoglobin = grams of hemoglobin per 100 mL of whole blood (g/dL)
• Hematocrit = percent of a sample of whole blood occupied by intact red blood cells
• RBC = millions of red blood cells per microL of whole blood
• MCV = Mean corpuscular volume
• If > 100 → Macrocytic anemia
• If 80 – 100 → Normocytic anemia
• If < 80 → Microcytic anemia
• RDW = Red blood cell distribution width
• = (Standard deviation of red cell volume ÷ mean cell volume) × 100
• Normal value is 11-15%
• If elevated, suggests large variability in sizes of RBCs

8. Evaluating a patient with anemia
• Check Hemoglobin/Hematocrit
• If female, is Hgb < 12 or Hct < 36?
• If male, is Hgb < 13.5 or Hct < 41?
If Yes, Patient has ANEMIA!

9. Classification of Anemia

10. Clinical types
•Iron deficiency anemia
•Megaloblastic anemia
•Pernicious anemia
•Hemorrhagic anemia
•Hemolytic anemia
•Thalassemic Anemia
•Aplastic anemia

11. Treatment and Prevention
• Iron-rich diet
• Vitamin supplements
• Eating a healthy diet
• Limiting alcohol use
• Routine blood work
• Procedures
• Blood transfusion
• Surgery

12. THANK YOU!
This semester has been amazing and I
cannot thank Dr. Brooks and Kaitlin
enough for all their help and support.
YOU ARE THE BEST 

13. Work cited
1. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/anemia.htm
2. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/anemia/
3. http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/understanding-anemia-
basics
4. http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/hematology/fellows/summer%20
course/slides/resar_anemiapathophysiologyevaluation%2007.09.12
.pdf
5. http://www.slideshare.net/bharathfipk/seminar-on-anemia-
2769920?next_slideshow=2
6. http://www.slideshare.net/sabisiddh/anemia-25085879