According to the Mayo Clinic, anemia is a disorder in which the blood doesn’t have a sufficient amount of viable red blood cells resulting in weariness or pallor. There are many different types of anemia such as iron deficiency anemia, a type of anemia that primarily occurs in pregnant women and is caused by a lack of iron within the body, vitamin deficiency anemia, usually caused by a shortage of vitamins within the diet, aplastic anemia, a rare life threatening form of anemia caused by a decreased production of red blood cells, etc.
As previously stated, iron deficiency anemia is the most common form of anemia and is primarily found in women that are pregnant or are in childbearing years because as the baby is growing and developing and as the mother’s body is changing to accommodate the new lifeform, the mother’s need for iron increases because her body has to provide for both the growing child and herself. According to the article Understanding Anemia—The Basics (2012), produced by the WebMD website, there are a plethora of different types of anemia. They are separated into three different categories: anemia caused by blood loss, anemia caused by decreased or faulty red blood cell production, and anemia caused by destruction of red blood cells.
According to The Basics (2012), Anemia caused by blood loss is primarily the result of conditions such as ulcers or cancer, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, and menstruation or pregnancy in women. Anemia caused by decreased or faulty production of red blood cells can be caused by a variety of different causes such as vitamin deficiency anemia, bone marrow complications, and iron deficiency anemia. The known causes of anemia caused by destruction of red blood cells are inherited conditions such as sickle cell anemia and thalassemia, infections or drugs, toxins from advanced kidney or liver disease, hemolytic disease, a variety of heart conditions, and in rare cases enlarged spleens.
Symptoms of anemia, regardless of the form, are usually the same and may include dizziness, weariness, light-headedness, fast or erratic heartbeat, skin pallor, and shortness of breath. To be treated, the afflicted would have to be professionally diagnosed by their doctor or physician and given a prescription. According to Generic and Trade Names of Drugs for Treatment of Anemia (2016), produced by Madhumathi Palaniappan on the Medindia website, there are a variety of different medications that can be prescribed to the patient to treat the symptoms of anemia such as Vitamin B12, for vitamin deficiency anemia, darbepoetin alfa and epoetin beta-methoxy polyethylene, for anemia due to chronic kidney disease, ferrous fumarate, for iron deficiency anemia, oxymetholone, for increased production of red blood cells, etc.
Depending on the patient’s previous behavior and attitude towards their own health, they might respond negatively to the prescribed medications. To combat any negative side effects, the patient should talk to their doctor about any pre-existing mental conditions or side effects that the new medications might have on any previous medications. I would make sure that the patient understands exactly what the side effects of the medications would be and any effect they would have on any other medications. I would make sure that the patient had monthly check-ups to determine that how the new medications are affecting them and if any of the side effects are causing inconvenience. Making sure that the patient is satisfied with their medication and that nothing is going wrong is part of the health care process and shouldn’t be overlooked or taken lightly. If the patient had any questions, I would make sure that they were answered accurately and efficiently to avoid any confusion or disarray.
- Palaniappan, M. (2016, April 07). Anemia- Drug for its Treatment. Retrieved from
http://www.medindia.net/drugs/medical-condition/anemia.htm - Staff, M. C. (2013). Anemia. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-
conditions/anemia/symptoms-causes/dxc-20183157
