Anemia Types and Treatments

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Questions and Answers

What happens to the erythrocytes during elevated Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR)?

They tend to clump together, resulting in a faster sedimentation rate. (correct)

They distribute evenly, creating a consistent sedimentation rate.

They become smaller, leading to a faster sedimentation rate.

They become larger, causing a slower sedimentation rate.

What is a characteristic of venous circulation in patients with sluggish blood flow?

The blood is oxygenated and appears bright red.

The blood vessels are dilated, resulting in a lower blood pressure.

The blood flow is increased, leading to a faster sedimentation rate.

The blood is deoxygenated and appears dark bluish. (correct)

What is a potential cause of a low Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR)?

Abnormally shaped red blood cells. (correct)

Inflammation in the body.

Anemia.

Pregnancy.

Which of the following factors can decrease the Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR)?

All of the above. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of polycythemia?

Decreased Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR). Signup and view all the answers

How does inflammation affect the Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR)?

It causes the erythrocytes to become more positively charged, resulting in faster sedimentation. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) directly measure?

The speed at which red blood cells settle at the bottom of a tube. Signup and view all the answers

What is the normal PCV range for males?

47-52% Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary cause of aplastic anemia?

Destruction of stem cells by radiation Signup and view all the answers

What condition leads to deficiencies in Vitamin B12 or folic acid?

Megaloblastic Anemia Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a cause of hemolytic anemia?

Malabsorption of nutrients Signup and view all the answers

What circulatory effect occurs as a result of anemia?

Decreased O2-carrying capacity Signup and view all the answers

Which type of anemia is characterized by fragile red blood cells due to heredity?

Sickle Cell Anemia Signup and view all the answers

What is a common response of the body to compensate for anemia?

Increase cardiac output Signup and view all the answers

What role does marrow transplantation play in treating aplastic anemia?

Restores bone marrow function Signup and view all the answers

Which of these conditions is linked to autoimmune response in anemia?

Aplastic Anemia Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary characteristic of primary polycythemia?

Abnormalities in bone marrow cell production. Signup and view all the answers

What physiological response occurs in secondary polycythemia?

Increased RBC production to compensate for hypoxia. Signup and view all the answers

What could indicate a patient has polycythemia vera?

A hematocrit level up to 60-70%. Signup and view all the answers

How does polycythemia affect blood circulation?

It leads to sluggish blood flow due to increased viscosity. Signup and view all the answers

What is a common characteristic of individuals suffering from polycythemia?

Pale-yellowish complexion and dark eyebags. Signup and view all the answers

What occurs to blood pressure in polycythemia as a result of increased resistance?

It can increase despite reduced venous return. Signup and view all the answers

What is the typical RBC count for a person with secondary polycythemia?

Typically between 6 to 7 million/mm^3. Signup and view all the answers

How many patients with polycythemia are generally normotensive?

2/3 are normotensive. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Aplastic Anemia

Occurs when bone marrow function fails, stopping blood cell production.
Causes include radiation, chemotherapy, toxins, autoimmune diseases, and unknown reasons (idiopathic).
Treatment involves bone marrow transplantation or blood transfusions (donor-recipient matching is essential).

Megaloblastic Anemia

Caused by decreased folic acid or vitamin B12.
Reasons for deficiency include pernicious anemia, dietary insufficiency, and malabsorption.
Deficiency impairs DNA replication, leading to maturation failure of blood cells.
Characterized by large, fragile cells with unusual shapes, which rupture easily.

Hemolytic Anemia

A hereditary condition causing RBC fragility.
Two types are hereditary spherocytosis and sickle cell anemia.
Immune-mediated destruction can occur, such as mismatched blood transfusions or erythroblastosis fetalis (mother-fetus mismatch).
Antibodies and cells with antigens lead to RBC destruction.

Circulatory Effects of Anemia

Blood viscosity decreases.
Oxygen-carrying capacity decreases.
Body compensates by increasing heart rate and vasoconstriction.
Cardiac output increases, making exercise more difficult and potentially leading to rapid fatigue and pain.
Pale-yellowish complexion and dark eye-bags may be present.

Polycythemia

Characterized by increased RBC count.
Two types:
- Primary (polycythemia vera): Bone marrow problem causes increased RBC production.
- Secondary: Physiological response to conditions like high altitude, hypoxia, lung or heart issues.
Increased RBCs lead to higher blood viscosity, which in turn increases blood pressure (in some cases)
Higher blood viscosity slows venous return which can lead to a venous circulation that is deoxygenated.
Dark bluish color of venous plexus can occur with slower blood flow.

Laboratory Studies for Anemia

Packed Cell Volume (PCV): Measures RBC count (higher numbers indicate polycythemia or dehydration; lower values indicate anemia). Normal ranges differ between genders.
Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR): Non-specific test for inflammation (higher ESR values indicate inflammation).

Osmotic Fragility

Important in spherocytosis, assessing RBC cell flexibility and resistance to changing fluid volume.
Diluted solutions (hypotonic) are used in testing methods.
Cells will swell and potentially burst at differing degrees of dilution (different concentrations), based on their resistance .
Percentage of surface area to cell volume dictates fragility. Larger surface to volume ratios lead to higher fragility.
Lower surface to volume ratio indicates cells with greater toughness (a higher resistance).

Hemostasis

Process of preventing blood loss.
Platelets perform coagulation. Platelets change blood consistency from a liquid to a gel-like state, stopping bleeding.
Creating a network in the injured area to draw the sides together to promote healing/regeneration.
Vascular constriction (reducing blood flow) is an initial step of this process, followed by the activation of platelets to form a plug and clot formation.
The tissue factor (released from tissue in injury site) further accelerates platelet activation and blood clotting processes in a trauma response.

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Description

Explore the various types of anemia including Aplastic, Megaloblastic, and Hemolytic anemia. Each type has distinct causes, symptoms, and treatment options that are crucial for understanding blood health. This quiz will test your knowledge on the characteristics and management of these anemias.