2. Anemia definitions
Anemia is defined for patient care as a reduction in one or
more of the major red blood cell (RBC) measurements
obtained as a part of the complete blood count (CBC):
hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, or RBC count. A low
hemoglobin concentration and/or low hematocrit are the
parameters most widely used to diagnose anemia, with the
following cutoffs :
World Health Organization (WHO) criteria for anemia in adult
males is hemoglobin <13 and in adult females is hemoglobin
<12 g/dL.
3. Hemoglobin is reported as the concentration of
hemoglobin in whole blood. When measured by an
electronic counter, hemoglobin concentration is directly
determined.
Hematocrit (HCT), also called packed cell volume
(PCV), is the percentage of blood volume occupied by
RBCs. It can be measured directly following
centrifugation of a blood sample.
Females; hematocrit <35 percent
Males ; <40 percent
4. Epidemiology
Approximately 4% of men and 8% of women have
values lower than normal. A significantly greater
prevalence is observed in patient populations.
Overall, anemia is twice as prevalent in females as in
males. This difference is significantly greater during the
childbearing years due to pregnancies and menses.
8. Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA)
Prevalence – Iron deficiency affects >12 percent of the
world's population, especially women, children, and
individuals living in under-resourced and middle-
income countries.
12. CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS
The usual presenting symptoms in adults with iron deficiency
are primarily due to anemia. Typical symptoms include:
Fatigue
Pica (pagophagia, ice craving)
Restless legs syndrome
Headache
Exercise intolerance
Exertional dyspnea
Weakness
Mood changes
27. Dental Aspect
Local anaesthesia is usually satisfactory for pain control.
Conscious sedation may be given only if there is
supplemental oxygen. Deeper levels of sedation are
more likely to lead to hypoxia.
28. Dental Aspect
When GA is given, it is vital to ensure full oxygenation.
Anaemia should be corrected before GA and the haemoglobin
brought up to at least 10 g/dl.
Whenever possible, therefore, the anaemia should be
corrected pre-operatively and the haemoglobin level must be
raised, if necessary, by transfusion.
The patient should be stabilized at least 24 h pre-operatively
Some anaemias can also cause oral lesions such as ulcers,
glossitis or angular stomatitis
