Nutritional Anaemia

Subject: Community Health Nursing II

Overview

Lack of sufficient numbers of healthy red blood cells to adequately oxygenate your tissues is known as anemia. Anemia can have many different forms, each with a unique etiology. Anemia is most often caused by blood loss. A diet deficient in vitamins and iron, intestinal disorders, pregnancy, and menstruation are risk factors for anemia.

Nutritional Anaemia

Lack of sufficient numbers of healthy red blood cells to adequately oxygenate your tissues is known as anemia. If you have anemia, you could feel worn out.

Anemia can take many different forms, each with a unique cause. Anemia is most often caused by blood loss. Anemia can range in severity from mild to severe, and it can be short-term or long-term.

Causes

  • Increased loss of red blood cells.
  • Increased need for hemoglobin or RBC.
    • excessive alcohol consumption.
    • decreased the activity of bone marrow.
    • chemotherapy medications.
  • Increased destruction of RBC in the blood

Risk Factors

  •  a diet lacking in vitamin and iron,
  •  Intestinal disorder,
  •  Pregnancy,
  •  Menstruation,
  •  Chronic diseases,
  •  Family history.

Symptoms

  •  Fatigue,
  •  Shortness of breath,
  •  Chest pain,
  •  Dizziness,
  •  Cognitive problems,
  •  Cold hands and feet,
  •  Headache.

Diagnostic Test

  • A blood level of vitamin B12, folic acid, and other vitamins and minerals.
  • Red blood cell count and Hb level.
  • Reticulocyte count.
  • Ferritin level.
  • Iron level.

Treatment

  •  Find out the cause and treat it,
  •  Specific deficiency is replaced such as iron, folate, vitamin B12.,
  •  Blood transfusion, in severe cases,
  •  Corticosteroid or other medicine that suppresses the immune system,
  •  Erythropoietin, a medicine that helps bone marrow make more blood cells,
  • Supplements of iron, vitamin B12, folic acid, and other vitamins and minerals.

Prevention

  •  Nutritional education,
  •  Giving iron fortified milk formula and iron-fortified cereals to infants.
  •  Deworming, change in dietary habits, wearing of shoes are important to measure.
  •  Additional intake of meat, animal products.
  •  Iron supplement during pregnancy.

Reference

  • Ambika Rai, Kabita Dahal. Community Health Nursing II. Kathmandu: Makalu Publication House, 2012 (reprint).
  • Dr.Suwal S.N. & Tuitui R. (2063) A Textbook of Community Health Nursing, 1st edition, Vidyarthi Prakashan (P). Ltd. Kamalpokhari, Kathmandu
  • Endres J.B & Rockwell R.E. (1985), 2nd edition, Food, Nutrition & the Young Child, Times Mirror/ Mosby College Publishing, Toronto, USA
  • Medscape. 1994. 2017 http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/202333-overview
  • Neerja KP, 2003 (Reprint 2004), Textbook of Nursing Education, first edition, Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd. New Delhi
Things to remember
  • Anemia is a condition in which you don't have enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to your tissues. 
  • Loss of blood is the most common cause of anemia. 
  • Anemia can be a temporary or long term, and it can range from mild to severe. 
  • Its causes are:
    • Increased loss of red blood cells.
    • Increased need for hemoglobin or RBC.
    • Increased destruction of RBC in the blood
  • Signs and symptoms are:
    • Fatigue,
    • Shortness of breath,
    • Chest pain,
    • Dizziness.
Questions and Answers

Lack of sufficient numbers of healthy red blood cells to adequately oxygenate your tissues is known as anemia. Anemia can range from mild to severe, and it can be short-term or long-term.

Causes

  • Increased loss of red blood cells.
  • Increased need for hemoglobin or RBC.
  • Excessive alcohol consumption.
  • Decreased activity of bone marrow.
  • Chemotherapy medications.
    • Increased destruction of RBC in the blood.

Risk Factors

  • A diet lacking in vitamin and iron.
  • Intestinal disorder.
  • Pregnancy.
  • Menstruation.
  • Chronic diseases.
  • Family history.

Symptoms

  • Fatigue
  • Shortness of breath
  • Chest pain
  • Dizziness
  • Cognitive problems
  • Cold hands and feet
  • Headache

Diagnostic Test

  • Blood levels of additional vitamins and minerals, including folic acid and vitamin B12
  • Hemoglobin level and red blood cell count.
  • Count of reticulocytes.
  • Level of ferritun.
  • Iron gauge

Treatment

  • Determine the cause, then address it.
  • Replacement of a particular deficit, such as iron, folate, or vitamin B12
  • Blood transfusion, when necessary.
  • Corticosteroids or other immunosuppressant medications.
  • Erythropoietin is a drug that encourages the bone marrow to produce more blood cells.
  • Iron, B12, folic acid, and other vitamin and mineral supplements.

Prevention

  • Education about nutrition.
  • Feeding young children iron-fortified foods and milk formula.
  • Deworming, dietary changes, and the wearing of shoes are crucial precautions.
  • Increased consumption of meat and animal products.
  • Taking an iron supplement while pregnant.

© 2021 Saralmind. All Rights Reserved.