Most of the time patients who have anemia suffer mild symptoms even if their anemia stems from an underlying chronic disease. This does not mean that anemia can’t cause even more serious health issues since it limits the supply of oxygen in the body. An anemic patient often suffers from less physical capacity and fatigue and more serious symptoms of anemia can sap his strength and endurance. Certain researches have proven that even without anemia, people who are iron deficient are likely to suffer from lessened capacity to exercise.
One of the serious health consequences of anemia, moderate to severe, is that its prolonged can result in the damage or dysfunction of major organs like heart failure and heart arrhythmia.
Anemia that is genetically inherited like sickle cell anemia, pernicious anemia and thalassemia major can be a potentially fatal problem. Sickle cell anemia or thalassemia major specifically strike children and can have dangerous consequences for them.
Anemia Affecting Pregnant Women
Anemia during pregnancy can have devastating consequences particularly for the unborn child. Anemias in pregnant women will at the least result in minor complications and pregnancy difficulties especially if they become anemic during their first trimester.
Anemia Complications in Children and Adolescents
Even after childbirth, a child suffering from severe anemia may result in stunted growth, mental retardation and impaired motor abilities. Affected children can manifest lessened alertness and short attention span. Kids suffering from extreme iron deficiency anemia can even have a higher likelihood for stroke.
The Consequences of Anemia in the Elderly
In older people, anemia is quite widespread and its effects on them can even be more potentially severe compared to younger adults suffering from the same condition. Older people suffering from anemia have an increased likelihood for falling down and suffering from a substantial weakened state of health. Complications can entail a wide range of complications like worsened cardiac conditions and poor survival rate from heart attacks and heart failure. Seniors can even aggravate their existing dementia and have impaired cognitive abilities from mild anemia.
Pernicious Anemia and Vitamin B12 Deficiencies – Their Effects
The lack of vitamin B12, which causes pernicious anemia can cause damage in the nervous system that can become permanent if the inadequacy is left untreated for long periods of time.
Cancer Patients with Anemia
The degree of anemia in cancer patients is often severe and anemia is one of the factors that give the cancer patient a shorter survival time.
Patients with Anemia and Kidney Disease
Patients suffering from kidney disease can have complications like heart disease and higher death rates when their condition is complicated by anemia.
Patients with Heart Failure Suffering from Anemia
The combination of heart failure and anemia precipitates the likelihood by 30% to 60% of hospitalization or death. Those suffering from heart failure and have a declining hemoglobin level are likely to suffer from even more worsened conditions than patients with stable hemoglobin levels.
Complications of Too Much Iron in the Body
Blood transfusions – One of the problems faced by people suffering from certain forms of anemia is the need for repeated blood transfusions. These transfusions can infuse too much iron than is necessary and can overload the body.
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