7262019 Anemia Inbrief Yg

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullanemia-inbrief-yg 14

I N B R I E F

Anemia Your Guide to

Anemia is a blood disorder Blood is a vital liquid thatyour heart constantly pumps through your veins andarteries and all throughout your body When some-thing goes wrong in your blood it can affect yourhealth and quality of life

Many types of anemia exist such as iron-deficiencyanemia pernicious anemia aplastic anemia and hemo-lytic anemia The different types of anemia are linkedto various diseases and conditions

Anemia can affect people of all ages races and ethnici-ties Some types of anemia are very common and someare very rare Some are very mild and others are severeor even life-threatening if not treated aggressively Thegood news is that anemia often can be successfullytreated and even prevented

What Causes Anemia

Anemia occurs if your body makes too few red bloodcells (RBCs) destroys too many RBCs or loses toomany RBCs RBCs contain hemoglobin a protein that

carries oxygen throughout your body When you donrsquothave enough RBCs or the amount of hemoglobin inyour blood is low your body doesnrsquot get all the oxygenit needs As a result you may feel tired or have othersymptoms

In some types of anemia such as aplastic anemia yourbody also doesnrsquot have enough of other types of bloodcells such as white blood cells (WBCs) and plateletsWBCs help your bodyrsquos immune system fight infec-tions Platelets help your blood clot which helps stopbleeding

Many diseases conditions and other factors cancause anemia For example anemia may occur dur-ing pregnancy if the body canrsquot meet its increased need

for RBCs Certain autoimmune disorders and otherconditions may cause your body to make proteins thatdestroy your RBCs which can lead to anemia Heavyinternal or external bleedingmdashfrom injuries forexamplemdashmay cause anemia because your body losestoo many RBCs

The causes of anemia can be acquired or inheritedldquoAcquiredrdquo means you arenrsquot born with the conditionbut you develop it ldquoInheritedrdquo means your parentspassed the gene for the condition on to you Sometimesthe cause of anemia is unknown

Diagnosing Anemia

People find out they have anemia in a variety of waysYou may have symptoms and go to your doctor whodiscovers the anemia through blood tests Or yourdoctor might find out you have anemia as a result oftests done for another reason

Your doctor will likely ask about your medical andfamily histories do a physical exam and recommendtests or procedures to find out whether you haveanemia what is causing it and how severe it is This

7262019 Anemia Inbrief Yg

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullanemia-inbrief-yg 24

information will help your doctor treat the anemia andits underlying cause Most anemias are treatable so anaccurate diagnosis is important

Medical and Family HistoriesYour doctor will want to know about your signs andsymptoms and how long yoursquove had them He or shealso may ask whether yoursquove had an illness that cancause anemia You also may be asked about your dietany medicines or supplements you take and whetheryou have a family history of anemia or anemia-related

conditions

Physical ExamA physical exam can confirm signs and symptoms andprovide information about what organs or body systemsmay be involved As part of a physical exam your doctormay check the color of your skin gums and nail bedsand look for signs of bleeding or infection He or shemay listen to your heart and lungs feel your abdomen ordo a pelvic or rectal exam to check for internal bleeding

Tests and Procedures

Your doctor will recommend tests to identify the type ofanemia you may have and its severity Often the firsttest is a complete blood count (CBC) which providesuseful information about your blood Depending on theCBC results your doctor may recommend further testsof your blood or bone marrow (the soft tissue insidebones that makes blood cells)

Treating Anemia

Anemia often is easily treated The treatment yourdoctor chooses will depend on the type of anemia youhave its cause and how severe it is

The main goals of treatment are to

983150 Raise your RBC count or hemoglobin level to im-prove your bloodrsquos ability to carry oxygen

983150 Treat the underlying condition causing your anemia

983150 Prevent complications of the anemia such as heartor nerve damage

983150 Relieve symptoms and improve your quality of life

If you have a mild or moderate anemia with nosymptomsmdashor if your anemia isnrsquot getting worsemdashyoumay not need treatment Some anemias are treatedwith dietary changes and nutritional supplementsOther anemias are treated with medicines proceduressurgery or blood transfusions (for severe anemia)

Preventing or Controlling Anemia

You can take steps to prevent or control anemia Theseactions can give you greater energy and improve yourhealth and quality of life Here are a few simple things

you can do

Follow a Healthy Diet Following a healthy diet ensures that you get enoughof the nutrients that your body needs to make healthyblood cells These nutrients include iron vitamin B12folate and vitamin C These nutrients are found in avariety of foods Healthy eating also is good for youroverall health

The basics of healthy eating

983150 Focus on nutrient-dense foods and beveragesmdashvegetables fruits whole grains fat-free or low-fatdairy products seafood lean meats and poultryeggs beans and peas and nuts and seeds

983150 Limit your intake of salt solid fats added sugarsand refined grains

983150 Maintain a healthy weight by bal-ancing the calories you get fromfoods and beverages with thecalories you use through physi-cal activity

983150 Follow food safety guidelines

when preparing and eatingfoods to reduce the risk offoodborne illnesses

Make following a healthy diet afamily goal Infants youngchildren and teens growrapidly A healthy dietsupports growth anddevelopment andcan help preventanemia Have

Possible Signs and

Symptoms of Anemia

983148

Tiredness or weakness983148 Pale or yellowish skin

983148 Faintness or dizziness

983148 Increased thirst

983148 Sweating

983148 Weak and rapid pulse rapid breathing

983148 Shortness of breath

983148 Lower leg cramps

983148 Heart-related symptoms (abnormal heart rhythms

heart murmur enlarged heart heart failure)

7262019 Anemia Inbrief Yg

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullanemia-inbrief-yg 34

healthy foods at home and show your children how tomake healthy choices when theyrsquore away from home

Also help your parents or other older relatives enjoy ahealthy nutrient-rich diet Anemia is common in olderadults because of chronic (ongoing) diseases lack ofiron and poor diet

Avoid Substances That Can Cause or Trigger AnemiaContact with chemicals or toxins in the environmentcan cause some types of anemia Others types of ane-mia are triggered by certain foods or cold temperaturesIf you have one of these types of anemia avoid thesetriggers if you can

Information About

Specific Types of AnemiaIron-Deficiency Anemia

Your body needs iron to make hemoglobin the

protein in RBCs that carries oxygen The main way

you get iron is from food At certain timesmdashsuch as

during pregnancy growth spurts or blood lossmdashyour

body may need to make more RBCs than usual

Thus your body needs more iron than usual Iron-

deficiency anemia occurs if your body canrsquot keep up

with its need for iron

Groups at risk

983148 Infants and children adolescents and women of

childbearing age

983148 People who have certain diseases and conditionssuch as Crohnrsquos disease celiac disease or kidney

failure

983148 People who donrsquot get enough iron from the foods

they eat

983148 People who have internal bleeding

Treatment Iron supplements and dietary changes

(eating food rich in iron and vitamin C which

increases iron absorption from food)

Pernicious Anemia

Vitamin B12 and folate (another B vitamin) are neededto make healthy RBCs Your body absorbs these

vitamins from foods Pernicious anemia occurs if

your body canrsquot make enough RBCs because it canrsquot

absorb enough vitamin B12 from food

Groups at risk

983148 People who have conditions that prevent them

from absorbing vitamin B12

983148 People who donrsquot get enough vitamin B12 in their

diets

Treatment Vitamin B12 supplements and dietary

changes (eating foods rich in vitamin B12 such meat

fish eggs dairy products and breads cereals and

other foods fortified with vitamin B12)

Aplastic Anemia

The term ldquoanemiardquo usually refers to a condition in

which your blood has a lower than normal number

of RBCs However some types of anemia such as

aplastic anemia cause lower than normal numbers

of other blood cells too Aplastic anemia can occur

if your bone marrow is damaged and canrsquot make

enough RBCs WBCs and platelets The causes of

aplastic anemia can be acquired or inherited

Groups at risk

983148 People undergoing radiation or chemotherapy

exposed to toxins or taking certain medicines

983148 People who have diseases or conditions thatdamage the bone marrow

Treatment Depends on the cause of the anemia

Treatments may include blood transfusions

medicines blood and marrow stem cell transplants

and lifestyle changes

Hemolytic Anemia

Normally RBCs have a lifespan of about 120 days

Your body constantly makes new RBCs to replace

ones that die Sometimes RBCs are destroyed

before their normal lifespan is up Hemolytic anemia

occurs if your body canrsquot make enough RBCs toreplace those destroyed Acquired hemolytic anemia

occurs if your body gets a signal to destroy RBCs

even though they are normal Inherited hemolytic

anemia is related to problems with the genes that

control RBCs

Groups at risk

983148 Risk groups differ depending on the cause and

type of hemolytic anemia

Treatment Depends on the cause of the anemia

Treatments may include blood transfusions

medicines surgery and procedures and lifestylechanges

7262019 Anemia Inbrief Yg

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullanemia-inbrief-yg 44

With some types of anemia yoursquoll want to reduce yourchances of getting an infection To do this wash yourhands often avoid people who have colds and stayaway from crowds

Work With Your Doctor Visit your doctor if you have signs or symptoms ofanemia If yoursquore diagnosed with anemia follow your

doctorrsquos advice about diet supplements medicines andother treatments

Visit your doctor regularly for checkups and ongoingcare and tell him or her about any new or changingsymptoms

Older children and teens who have severe anemia mayhave an increased risk of injury or infection Talk withyour doctor about ways to keep them as healthy as pos-sible and whether they need to avoid certain activities

Girls and women who have heavy menstrual periods

may need regular screenings and followup with theirdoctors to prevent or control iron-deficiency anemia

Talk To Your FamilySome types of anemiamdashsuch as pernicious anemiaFanconi anemia or thalassemiamdashcan be inherited Ifyoursquove been diagnosed with one of these kinds of ane-mia talk to your family members Suggest they visittheir doctors for a checkup to see whether they alsomight have anemia

If you have children or teens who have anemia talk to

them about how they can take an active role in theirown care Encourage them to learn about their condi-tion and make decisions with their doctor This canhelp young people feel more in control and have a morepositive outlook about their health

Clinical Trials

The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)supports research aimed at learning more about blooddiseases and disorders including anemia Common

types of anemia are generally straightforward andeasily treated As a result the NHLBIrsquos clinical researchon anemia focuses on a few specific rarer types of thedisorder Research on these and other blood disorderscontinues to be an important priority for the NHLBI

The NHLBIrsquos research efforts often depend on thewillingness of volunteers to take part in clinical trialsClinical trials test new ways to prevent diagnose ortreat various diseases and conditions You can takepart in a clinical trial to gain access to new treatmentsbefore theyrsquore widely available and help add to scien-tific knowledge

For more information about clinical trials related toanemia talk with your doctor You also can visit thefollowing Web sites to learn more about clinical re-search and to search for clinical trials

983150 wwwclinicaltrialsgov

983150 clinicalresearchnihgov

983150 wwwnhlbinihgovstudiesindexhtm

To Learn More

The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute(NHLBI) provides information about the causes pre-vention diagnosis and treatment of anemia and otherblood diseases The NHLBI also provides dependableinformation about heart and lung diseases and condi-tions and sleep disorders Resources include numerouspublications tools and the NHLBI Web site

NHLBI Health Information CenterPO Box 30105Bethesda MD 20824ndash0105Phone 301ndash592ndash8573TTY 240ndash629ndash3255Fax 301ndash592ndash8563Web site wwwnhlbinihgovhealthinfoctrindexhtm

NHLBI Web SiteThe NHLBI Web site offers health education materialshealth assessment tools and resources for patients thepublic and health professionalswwwnhlbinihgov

Diseases and Conditions AndashZ IndexThe NHLBIrsquos Diseases and Conditions Index (DCI) pro-vides complete dependable plain-language informationabout heart lung and blood diseases and sleep disorderswwwnhlbinihgovhealthdciindexhtml

USDA ChooseMyPlategovThe US Department of Agriculturersquos (USDArsquos)ChooseMyPlategov Web site has information tips andresources to help you learn more about healthy eatingwwwchoosemyplategov

NIH Publication No 11-7629A September 2011

7262019 Anemia Inbrief Yg

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullanemia-inbrief-yg 24

information will help your doctor treat the anemia andits underlying cause Most anemias are treatable so anaccurate diagnosis is important

Medical and Family HistoriesYour doctor will want to know about your signs andsymptoms and how long yoursquove had them He or shealso may ask whether yoursquove had an illness that cancause anemia You also may be asked about your dietany medicines or supplements you take and whetheryou have a family history of anemia or anemia-related

conditions

Physical ExamA physical exam can confirm signs and symptoms andprovide information about what organs or body systemsmay be involved As part of a physical exam your doctormay check the color of your skin gums and nail bedsand look for signs of bleeding or infection He or shemay listen to your heart and lungs feel your abdomen ordo a pelvic or rectal exam to check for internal bleeding

Tests and Procedures

Your doctor will recommend tests to identify the type ofanemia you may have and its severity Often the firsttest is a complete blood count (CBC) which providesuseful information about your blood Depending on theCBC results your doctor may recommend further testsof your blood or bone marrow (the soft tissue insidebones that makes blood cells)

Treating Anemia

Anemia often is easily treated The treatment yourdoctor chooses will depend on the type of anemia youhave its cause and how severe it is

The main goals of treatment are to

983150 Raise your RBC count or hemoglobin level to im-prove your bloodrsquos ability to carry oxygen

983150 Treat the underlying condition causing your anemia

983150 Prevent complications of the anemia such as heartor nerve damage

983150 Relieve symptoms and improve your quality of life

If you have a mild or moderate anemia with nosymptomsmdashor if your anemia isnrsquot getting worsemdashyoumay not need treatment Some anemias are treatedwith dietary changes and nutritional supplementsOther anemias are treated with medicines proceduressurgery or blood transfusions (for severe anemia)

Preventing or Controlling Anemia

You can take steps to prevent or control anemia Theseactions can give you greater energy and improve yourhealth and quality of life Here are a few simple things

you can do

Follow a Healthy Diet Following a healthy diet ensures that you get enoughof the nutrients that your body needs to make healthyblood cells These nutrients include iron vitamin B12folate and vitamin C These nutrients are found in avariety of foods Healthy eating also is good for youroverall health

The basics of healthy eating

983150 Focus on nutrient-dense foods and beveragesmdashvegetables fruits whole grains fat-free or low-fatdairy products seafood lean meats and poultryeggs beans and peas and nuts and seeds

983150 Limit your intake of salt solid fats added sugarsand refined grains

983150 Maintain a healthy weight by bal-ancing the calories you get fromfoods and beverages with thecalories you use through physi-cal activity

983150 Follow food safety guidelines

when preparing and eatingfoods to reduce the risk offoodborne illnesses

Make following a healthy diet afamily goal Infants youngchildren and teens growrapidly A healthy dietsupports growth anddevelopment andcan help preventanemia Have

Possible Signs and

Symptoms of Anemia

983148

Tiredness or weakness983148 Pale or yellowish skin

983148 Faintness or dizziness

983148 Increased thirst

983148 Sweating

983148 Weak and rapid pulse rapid breathing

983148 Shortness of breath

983148 Lower leg cramps

983148 Heart-related symptoms (abnormal heart rhythms

heart murmur enlarged heart heart failure)

7262019 Anemia Inbrief Yg

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullanemia-inbrief-yg 34

healthy foods at home and show your children how tomake healthy choices when theyrsquore away from home

Also help your parents or other older relatives enjoy ahealthy nutrient-rich diet Anemia is common in olderadults because of chronic (ongoing) diseases lack ofiron and poor diet

Avoid Substances That Can Cause or Trigger AnemiaContact with chemicals or toxins in the environmentcan cause some types of anemia Others types of ane-mia are triggered by certain foods or cold temperaturesIf you have one of these types of anemia avoid thesetriggers if you can

Information About

Specific Types of AnemiaIron-Deficiency Anemia

Your body needs iron to make hemoglobin the

protein in RBCs that carries oxygen The main way

you get iron is from food At certain timesmdashsuch as

during pregnancy growth spurts or blood lossmdashyour

body may need to make more RBCs than usual

Thus your body needs more iron than usual Iron-

deficiency anemia occurs if your body canrsquot keep up

with its need for iron

Groups at risk

983148 Infants and children adolescents and women of

childbearing age

983148 People who have certain diseases and conditionssuch as Crohnrsquos disease celiac disease or kidney

failure

983148 People who donrsquot get enough iron from the foods

they eat

983148 People who have internal bleeding

Treatment Iron supplements and dietary changes

(eating food rich in iron and vitamin C which

increases iron absorption from food)

Pernicious Anemia

Vitamin B12 and folate (another B vitamin) are neededto make healthy RBCs Your body absorbs these

vitamins from foods Pernicious anemia occurs if

your body canrsquot make enough RBCs because it canrsquot

absorb enough vitamin B12 from food

Groups at risk

983148 People who have conditions that prevent them

from absorbing vitamin B12

983148 People who donrsquot get enough vitamin B12 in their

diets

Treatment Vitamin B12 supplements and dietary

changes (eating foods rich in vitamin B12 such meat

fish eggs dairy products and breads cereals and

other foods fortified with vitamin B12)

Aplastic Anemia

The term ldquoanemiardquo usually refers to a condition in

which your blood has a lower than normal number

of RBCs However some types of anemia such as

aplastic anemia cause lower than normal numbers

of other blood cells too Aplastic anemia can occur

if your bone marrow is damaged and canrsquot make

enough RBCs WBCs and platelets The causes of

aplastic anemia can be acquired or inherited

Groups at risk

983148 People undergoing radiation or chemotherapy

exposed to toxins or taking certain medicines

983148 People who have diseases or conditions thatdamage the bone marrow

Treatment Depends on the cause of the anemia

Treatments may include blood transfusions

medicines blood and marrow stem cell transplants

and lifestyle changes

Hemolytic Anemia

Normally RBCs have a lifespan of about 120 days

Your body constantly makes new RBCs to replace

ones that die Sometimes RBCs are destroyed

before their normal lifespan is up Hemolytic anemia

occurs if your body canrsquot make enough RBCs toreplace those destroyed Acquired hemolytic anemia

occurs if your body gets a signal to destroy RBCs

even though they are normal Inherited hemolytic

anemia is related to problems with the genes that

control RBCs

Groups at risk

983148 Risk groups differ depending on the cause and

type of hemolytic anemia

Treatment Depends on the cause of the anemia

Treatments may include blood transfusions

medicines surgery and procedures and lifestylechanges

7262019 Anemia Inbrief Yg

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullanemia-inbrief-yg 44

With some types of anemia yoursquoll want to reduce yourchances of getting an infection To do this wash yourhands often avoid people who have colds and stayaway from crowds

Work With Your Doctor Visit your doctor if you have signs or symptoms ofanemia If yoursquore diagnosed with anemia follow your

doctorrsquos advice about diet supplements medicines andother treatments

Visit your doctor regularly for checkups and ongoingcare and tell him or her about any new or changingsymptoms

Older children and teens who have severe anemia mayhave an increased risk of injury or infection Talk withyour doctor about ways to keep them as healthy as pos-sible and whether they need to avoid certain activities

Girls and women who have heavy menstrual periods

may need regular screenings and followup with theirdoctors to prevent or control iron-deficiency anemia

Talk To Your FamilySome types of anemiamdashsuch as pernicious anemiaFanconi anemia or thalassemiamdashcan be inherited Ifyoursquove been diagnosed with one of these kinds of ane-mia talk to your family members Suggest they visittheir doctors for a checkup to see whether they alsomight have anemia

If you have children or teens who have anemia talk to

them about how they can take an active role in theirown care Encourage them to learn about their condi-tion and make decisions with their doctor This canhelp young people feel more in control and have a morepositive outlook about their health

Clinical Trials

The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)supports research aimed at learning more about blooddiseases and disorders including anemia Common

types of anemia are generally straightforward andeasily treated As a result the NHLBIrsquos clinical researchon anemia focuses on a few specific rarer types of thedisorder Research on these and other blood disorderscontinues to be an important priority for the NHLBI

The NHLBIrsquos research efforts often depend on thewillingness of volunteers to take part in clinical trialsClinical trials test new ways to prevent diagnose ortreat various diseases and conditions You can takepart in a clinical trial to gain access to new treatmentsbefore theyrsquore widely available and help add to scien-tific knowledge

For more information about clinical trials related toanemia talk with your doctor You also can visit thefollowing Web sites to learn more about clinical re-search and to search for clinical trials

983150 wwwclinicaltrialsgov

983150 clinicalresearchnihgov

983150 wwwnhlbinihgovstudiesindexhtm

To Learn More

The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute(NHLBI) provides information about the causes pre-vention diagnosis and treatment of anemia and otherblood diseases The NHLBI also provides dependableinformation about heart and lung diseases and condi-tions and sleep disorders Resources include numerouspublications tools and the NHLBI Web site

NHLBI Health Information CenterPO Box 30105Bethesda MD 20824ndash0105Phone 301ndash592ndash8573TTY 240ndash629ndash3255Fax 301ndash592ndash8563Web site wwwnhlbinihgovhealthinfoctrindexhtm

NHLBI Web SiteThe NHLBI Web site offers health education materialshealth assessment tools and resources for patients thepublic and health professionalswwwnhlbinihgov

Diseases and Conditions AndashZ IndexThe NHLBIrsquos Diseases and Conditions Index (DCI) pro-vides complete dependable plain-language informationabout heart lung and blood diseases and sleep disorderswwwnhlbinihgovhealthdciindexhtml

USDA ChooseMyPlategovThe US Department of Agriculturersquos (USDArsquos)ChooseMyPlategov Web site has information tips andresources to help you learn more about healthy eatingwwwchoosemyplategov

NIH Publication No 11-7629A September 2011

7262019 Anemia Inbrief Yg

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullanemia-inbrief-yg 34

healthy foods at home and show your children how tomake healthy choices when theyrsquore away from home

Also help your parents or other older relatives enjoy ahealthy nutrient-rich diet Anemia is common in olderadults because of chronic (ongoing) diseases lack ofiron and poor diet

Avoid Substances That Can Cause or Trigger AnemiaContact with chemicals or toxins in the environmentcan cause some types of anemia Others types of ane-mia are triggered by certain foods or cold temperaturesIf you have one of these types of anemia avoid thesetriggers if you can

Information About

Specific Types of AnemiaIron-Deficiency Anemia

Your body needs iron to make hemoglobin the

protein in RBCs that carries oxygen The main way

you get iron is from food At certain timesmdashsuch as

during pregnancy growth spurts or blood lossmdashyour

body may need to make more RBCs than usual

Thus your body needs more iron than usual Iron-

deficiency anemia occurs if your body canrsquot keep up

with its need for iron

Groups at risk

983148 Infants and children adolescents and women of

childbearing age

983148 People who have certain diseases and conditionssuch as Crohnrsquos disease celiac disease or kidney

failure

983148 People who donrsquot get enough iron from the foods

they eat

983148 People who have internal bleeding

Treatment Iron supplements and dietary changes

(eating food rich in iron and vitamin C which

increases iron absorption from food)

Pernicious Anemia

Vitamin B12 and folate (another B vitamin) are neededto make healthy RBCs Your body absorbs these

vitamins from foods Pernicious anemia occurs if

your body canrsquot make enough RBCs because it canrsquot

absorb enough vitamin B12 from food

Groups at risk

983148 People who have conditions that prevent them

from absorbing vitamin B12

983148 People who donrsquot get enough vitamin B12 in their

diets

Treatment Vitamin B12 supplements and dietary

changes (eating foods rich in vitamin B12 such meat

fish eggs dairy products and breads cereals and

other foods fortified with vitamin B12)

Aplastic Anemia

The term ldquoanemiardquo usually refers to a condition in

which your blood has a lower than normal number

of RBCs However some types of anemia such as

aplastic anemia cause lower than normal numbers

of other blood cells too Aplastic anemia can occur

if your bone marrow is damaged and canrsquot make

enough RBCs WBCs and platelets The causes of

aplastic anemia can be acquired or inherited

Groups at risk

983148 People undergoing radiation or chemotherapy

exposed to toxins or taking certain medicines

983148 People who have diseases or conditions thatdamage the bone marrow

Treatment Depends on the cause of the anemia

Treatments may include blood transfusions

medicines blood and marrow stem cell transplants

and lifestyle changes

Hemolytic Anemia

Normally RBCs have a lifespan of about 120 days

Your body constantly makes new RBCs to replace

ones that die Sometimes RBCs are destroyed

before their normal lifespan is up Hemolytic anemia

occurs if your body canrsquot make enough RBCs toreplace those destroyed Acquired hemolytic anemia

occurs if your body gets a signal to destroy RBCs

even though they are normal Inherited hemolytic

anemia is related to problems with the genes that

control RBCs

Groups at risk

983148 Risk groups differ depending on the cause and

type of hemolytic anemia

Treatment Depends on the cause of the anemia

Treatments may include blood transfusions

medicines surgery and procedures and lifestylechanges

7262019 Anemia Inbrief Yg

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullanemia-inbrief-yg 44

With some types of anemia yoursquoll want to reduce yourchances of getting an infection To do this wash yourhands often avoid people who have colds and stayaway from crowds

Work With Your Doctor Visit your doctor if you have signs or symptoms ofanemia If yoursquore diagnosed with anemia follow your

doctorrsquos advice about diet supplements medicines andother treatments

Visit your doctor regularly for checkups and ongoingcare and tell him or her about any new or changingsymptoms

Older children and teens who have severe anemia mayhave an increased risk of injury or infection Talk withyour doctor about ways to keep them as healthy as pos-sible and whether they need to avoid certain activities

Girls and women who have heavy menstrual periods

may need regular screenings and followup with theirdoctors to prevent or control iron-deficiency anemia

Talk To Your FamilySome types of anemiamdashsuch as pernicious anemiaFanconi anemia or thalassemiamdashcan be inherited Ifyoursquove been diagnosed with one of these kinds of ane-mia talk to your family members Suggest they visittheir doctors for a checkup to see whether they alsomight have anemia

If you have children or teens who have anemia talk to

them about how they can take an active role in theirown care Encourage them to learn about their condi-tion and make decisions with their doctor This canhelp young people feel more in control and have a morepositive outlook about their health

Clinical Trials

The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)supports research aimed at learning more about blooddiseases and disorders including anemia Common

types of anemia are generally straightforward andeasily treated As a result the NHLBIrsquos clinical researchon anemia focuses on a few specific rarer types of thedisorder Research on these and other blood disorderscontinues to be an important priority for the NHLBI

The NHLBIrsquos research efforts often depend on thewillingness of volunteers to take part in clinical trialsClinical trials test new ways to prevent diagnose ortreat various diseases and conditions You can takepart in a clinical trial to gain access to new treatmentsbefore theyrsquore widely available and help add to scien-tific knowledge

For more information about clinical trials related toanemia talk with your doctor You also can visit thefollowing Web sites to learn more about clinical re-search and to search for clinical trials

983150 wwwclinicaltrialsgov

983150 clinicalresearchnihgov

983150 wwwnhlbinihgovstudiesindexhtm

To Learn More

The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute(NHLBI) provides information about the causes pre-vention diagnosis and treatment of anemia and otherblood diseases The NHLBI also provides dependableinformation about heart and lung diseases and condi-tions and sleep disorders Resources include numerouspublications tools and the NHLBI Web site

NHLBI Health Information CenterPO Box 30105Bethesda MD 20824ndash0105Phone 301ndash592ndash8573TTY 240ndash629ndash3255Fax 301ndash592ndash8563Web site wwwnhlbinihgovhealthinfoctrindexhtm

NHLBI Web SiteThe NHLBI Web site offers health education materialshealth assessment tools and resources for patients thepublic and health professionalswwwnhlbinihgov

Diseases and Conditions AndashZ IndexThe NHLBIrsquos Diseases and Conditions Index (DCI) pro-vides complete dependable plain-language informationabout heart lung and blood diseases and sleep disorderswwwnhlbinihgovhealthdciindexhtml

USDA ChooseMyPlategovThe US Department of Agriculturersquos (USDArsquos)ChooseMyPlategov Web site has information tips andresources to help you learn more about healthy eatingwwwchoosemyplategov

NIH Publication No 11-7629A September 2011

7262019 Anemia Inbrief Yg

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullanemia-inbrief-yg 44

With some types of anemia yoursquoll want to reduce yourchances of getting an infection To do this wash yourhands often avoid people who have colds and stayaway from crowds

Work With Your Doctor Visit your doctor if you have signs or symptoms ofanemia If yoursquore diagnosed with anemia follow your

doctorrsquos advice about diet supplements medicines andother treatments

Visit your doctor regularly for checkups and ongoingcare and tell him or her about any new or changingsymptoms

Older children and teens who have severe anemia mayhave an increased risk of injury or infection Talk withyour doctor about ways to keep them as healthy as pos-sible and whether they need to avoid certain activities

Girls and women who have heavy menstrual periods

may need regular screenings and followup with theirdoctors to prevent or control iron-deficiency anemia

Talk To Your FamilySome types of anemiamdashsuch as pernicious anemiaFanconi anemia or thalassemiamdashcan be inherited Ifyoursquove been diagnosed with one of these kinds of ane-mia talk to your family members Suggest they visittheir doctors for a checkup to see whether they alsomight have anemia

If you have children or teens who have anemia talk to

them about how they can take an active role in theirown care Encourage them to learn about their condi-tion and make decisions with their doctor This canhelp young people feel more in control and have a morepositive outlook about their health

Clinical Trials

The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)supports research aimed at learning more about blooddiseases and disorders including anemia Common

types of anemia are generally straightforward andeasily treated As a result the NHLBIrsquos clinical researchon anemia focuses on a few specific rarer types of thedisorder Research on these and other blood disorderscontinues to be an important priority for the NHLBI

The NHLBIrsquos research efforts often depend on thewillingness of volunteers to take part in clinical trialsClinical trials test new ways to prevent diagnose ortreat various diseases and conditions You can takepart in a clinical trial to gain access to new treatmentsbefore theyrsquore widely available and help add to scien-tific knowledge

For more information about clinical trials related toanemia talk with your doctor You also can visit thefollowing Web sites to learn more about clinical re-search and to search for clinical trials

983150 wwwclinicaltrialsgov

983150 clinicalresearchnihgov

983150 wwwnhlbinihgovstudiesindexhtm

To Learn More

The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute(NHLBI) provides information about the causes pre-vention diagnosis and treatment of anemia and otherblood diseases The NHLBI also provides dependableinformation about heart and lung diseases and condi-tions and sleep disorders Resources include numerouspublications tools and the NHLBI Web site

NHLBI Health Information CenterPO Box 30105Bethesda MD 20824ndash0105Phone 301ndash592ndash8573TTY 240ndash629ndash3255Fax 301ndash592ndash8563Web site wwwnhlbinihgovhealthinfoctrindexhtm

NHLBI Web SiteThe NHLBI Web site offers health education materialshealth assessment tools and resources for patients thepublic and health professionalswwwnhlbinihgov

Diseases and Conditions AndashZ IndexThe NHLBIrsquos Diseases and Conditions Index (DCI) pro-vides complete dependable plain-language informationabout heart lung and blood diseases and sleep disorderswwwnhlbinihgovhealthdciindexhtml

USDA ChooseMyPlategovThe US Department of Agriculturersquos (USDArsquos)ChooseMyPlategov Web site has information tips andresources to help you learn more about healthy eatingwwwchoosemyplategov

NIH Publication No 11-7629A September 2011