Anemia due to iron deficiency

List of diseases and weakness of the anemia due to iron deficiency
Anemia due to iron deficiency

Contents of the page
What is anemia due to iron deficiency
Diagnosis
treatment

Iron deficiency anemia Iron has a vital role for human survival. Iron is a transitional metal that can give and receive electrons, enabling breathing and energy production. Iron is one of the most prevalent elements in nature; however, iron deficiency is the most common cause of anemia in the world. The reason for this unexpected phenomenon is the very low solubility of iron found in nature. In order to overcome these difficulties, all living organisms developed materials that function to absorb and store iron in the body.

The total amount of iron, in an adult, ranges from about 2000-3000 mg. The primary iron store is found in erythrocytes, in the form of hemoglobin, which is responsible for transporting oxygen for respiration. The rest of the amount of iron is stored in the liver, spleen and bone marrow, which forms a store of iron when needed, such as after blood loss, or to produce new blood cells. A small amount of iron is present in proteins associated with the energy production process, or in transitions in body fluids, by the transfirin binding that transports iron from one place to another.

Iron is not excreted from the body in the proper position, so there is no need to supply the body with iron from an external source, through food. Contrary to popular belief, iron deficiency is not the result of a lack of food for iron, but a loss of blood. The most common cause of iron deficiency among young women is loss of blood during menstruation. Among adult men and women after menopause, the primary cause of iron deficiency is loss of blood from the digestive tract; only in young children and pregnant women, iron deficiency may develop, due to an unbalanced rapid rate of growth, by absorbing iron with the intestines, not against loss of the blood.

It is because of awareness of this anticipated problem that preventive measures are taken and that iron and iron supplements are supplied to infants and pregnant women as iron supplements.

Diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia
Anemia has many possible causes, so it is wrong to attribute all cases of iron deficiency anemia. For diagnosis, several laboratory tests are required to detect: small red blood cells, low iron level, high transfrin and low Ferritin (protein that stores iron in tissues). Later, the cause of iron deficiency should be clarified, so that the cause is known in infants and pregnant women, the rapid growth rate without adequate supply of iron in food. Among young women, as is well known, the cause is in most cases an improper menstrual blood loss. In other cases, a thorough digestive clarification should be carried out in order to find (detect) diseases associated with blood loss, such as: Ulcer disease in the duodenum, diaphragmatic hernia or cancer. Since blood loss can be the first sign of colon cancer, early diagnosis can contribute to complete recovery through surgery, before the outbreak. Another important cause of iron deficiency is malabsorption, such as celiac disease or atrophic gastritis, which prevents the stomach and small intestine from participating in the absorption of iron and other nutrients.

Treatment of iron deficiency anemia
The most important part in the treatment of iron deficiency anemia is the diagnosis of the disease that led to the emergence of this condition. After the initial disease has been treated or excluded, the status quo is treated by receiving iron. It is generally preferable to take iron orally with a drink or tablets, intravenously, because the first method is easier and safer. Treatment with tablets containing about 50 to 100 mg of iron per day is followed.

May cause larger amounts of iron, stomach pain, constipation or diarrhea, and therefore not recommended. The recovery process is slow, and usually requires continuous treatment for 3 to 6 months. Also, the recovery rate of anemia is slow, and the rate of iron increase does not exceed 1 or 1.5 g hemoglobin per week. You should continue to follow up with your doctor even after treatment has been fully received, to prevent a low concentration of repeated hemoglobin. Follow-up is important, especially in cases of continued blood loss, such as increased menstrual bleeding, or a disease in the intestine that needs to be cured for a long time.

In recent years, intravenous iron infusion devices have been developed efficiently. This treatment is intended for patients whose bodies are unable to absorb iron, or whether oral therapy has not worked. Injectable therapy requires repeated infusion, at a rate of 100 or 200 mg per day, until we reach a total iron total, approximately 2 g.

By Dr Mahad Shah
Ms Productions