ANAEMIA

Twenty-six-year-old Sere Mrs. K. P. complaints of a general turndown feeling, tiredness and breathlessness on exertion. A routine blood examination shows reduction in the hemoglobin content of the blood. Like 60 per cent of the Indian female population, Mrs. K.P. suffers from anemia. Anemia is defined as reduction in the concentration of hemoglobin in the blood. The normal hemoglobin count for an adult male is 13.5 gms per cent and above and for a female 12 gms per cent and above. When the hemoglobin level falls below these readings, the patient is considered anemic.

CAUSES:

Let us now see the conditions that lead to anemia. Anemia could result as a sequel to other

diseases. In such cases, it is known as a secondary type of anemia or it could be of the primary variety.

Secondary variety: the commonest cause of the secondary variety, is hemorrhages. This excessive bleeding could be because of various factors, such as heavy flow during periods or bleeding after injury as in peptic ulcers or piles. All this causes a fall in the level of hemoglobin and results in anemia.

Anemia also results after long-lasting chronic diseases such as a kidney disorder and cancerous diseases. Prolonged lactation may also lead to anemia. One of the commonest factors leading to anemia is malnutrition. Poisons such as lead, mercury, and arsenic cause the hemoglobin level to fall.

 Infection by certain animal parasites such as worms is another common cause. The commonest of these is Ankylostoma Duodenale or hookworms which lead to excessive anemia.

Primary variety: among the primary causes, the commonest is chlorosis. This type of anemia occurs exclusively in young women, especially among the working girls in large cities where there is lack of fresh air and good wholesome food. Cholorotic anemia is more commonly found during puberty, that is between the age of 14 and 17.

Besides this, there are other forms of anemia such as Pernicious anemia and Cooley’s anemia which are far more complicated and technical.

Article extracted from this publication >>  July 31, 1987