Understanding Microcytic Anemia: Causes, Tests & Treatments - Essay Sample

Microcytic anemia is a disease that is characterized by the presence of tiny red blood cells, often hypochromic in a peripheral blood smear. It is usually associated with low MCV. Microcytic anemia is commonly caused by the deficiency of iron. The most definitive test to distinguish iron deficiency from other microcytic states, e.g. thalassemia and sideroblastic anemia, is the lack of iron that is stored in the bone marrow. The most typical test of this condition is the absence of iron in the born marrow (Subramaniam & Girish, 2015). A physical examination of patients is usually conducted in case of an unexplained condition of this disease because test results are usually disrupted by advance lung disease, congestive heart problems and dehydration. Through this paper, therefore, there will be a discussion of microcytic anemia in detail. The types of microcytic anemia, symptoms, cause diagnostics and treatment are discussed in this paper.

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Microcytic anemia is generally caused by some conditions that hinder the human body from producing sufficient hemoglobin - a protein that is responsible for transporting oxygen to all parts of the body, which is a component in the body. Insufficient oxygen is likely to occur as a result of a lack of red blood. As a result of the lack of red blood cells, the in the body becomes smaller, therefore carrying less amount of oxygen. Microcytic anemia is a divergent condition, and it explains different types of anemic conditions; however, they share some of the causes and symptoms.

Symptoms of Microcytic Anemia

Microcytic anemia develops in stages; the early stage of this condition does not show any symptom; in most cases, it is diagnosed by chance when a person is taking blood tests for different reasons. Symptoms often become discoverable at an advanced stage of Microcytic anemia when the lack of red blood cells begins to affect the body tissues.

• Weakness, Fatigue and tiredness.
• Excess zinc causing copper deficiency
• Loss of stamina
• Dizziness and headaches
• Short of breath
• Pale skin, the skin develops grey colour under the nails and inside the eyelids

Irritability

People are advised to see a doctor within two weeks if any of these symptoms appear, early diagnostics and treatment make it easy to situation the situation (Urrechaga et al. 2015).

Types and Causes of Microcytic Anemia

There are various types of this condition based on the amount of hemoglobin, and they can either hyperchromic, hypochromic or normochromic. Each of these types has typical causes.

1. Hypochromic Microcytic Anemia

The meaning of hypochromic is a situation whereby the red blood cells have insufficient hemoglobin that leads to red blood cells to appear pale in colour due to the presence of less hemoglobin. Hypochromic microcytic anemia is characterized by a situation where levels of red blood cells are low, and the red blood cells are pale in colour and smaller than usual (Urrechaga et al. 2015). Most of the microcytic anemic patients are hypochromic, which includes:

Iron deficiency anemia: This is the most common factors causing microcytic anemia, iron deficiency anemia, therefore, can be a result of inadequate intake of iron. The type of diets that people take determines the amount of iron. Also, the inability of the body to absorb iron is another cause of this condition. This problem is associated with helicobacter pylori infection or celiac disease; these two factors alter the ability of the body to absorb iron. Furthermore, frequent or massive blood loss during mensuration periods in women may cause iron deficiency anemia, loss of blood can be as a result of gastrointestinal bleeds because of inflammatory bowel infection or ulcers. Pregnancy is also associated with this condition.

Thalassemia: This is a type of hyperchromic microcytic anemia caused by an inheritable abnormality that involves the mutation of genes mechanics that are necessary for hemoglobin formation (Hoffmann, Urrechaga & Aguirre, 2015).

Sideroblastic anemia: a type of hyperchromic microcytic anemia that id inherited as a result of gene mutation or congenital. In other cases, this can be caused by a particular condition acquired later in life that disables the ability of the body to incorporate iron into blood components responsible for making hemoglobin.

2. Normochromic Microcytic Anemia

Normochromic condition refers to a situation where red blood cells contain a healthy amount of hemoglobin; however, the hue of red cells colour, an example of this condition is Anemia of chronic disease and inflammation, red cells have a standard size but normochromic. This condition can be seen in patients with highly infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDs tuberculosis or endocarditis, inflammatory infections, inflammatory diseases, kidney infections and cancer. These health conditions affect the normal functions or red blood cells leading to decrees in the absorption of irons

3. Hyperchromic Microcytic Anemias

Hyperchromic refers to a situation where red blood cells contain excess hemoglobin. Excess amount of hemoglobin in red blood cells forms a concentered hue of red blood cells, which is considered as abnormal. Congenital spherocytic anemia is an example of this hyperchromic microcytic anemia; however, this condition is rarely happening. It is associated with genetic conditions referred to as congenital spherocytic anemia. This is usually known as hereditary spherocytosis. In this condition, the membrane of the red blood cells is not formed, usually causing them to appear more rigid and abnormally spherical. Blood mechanisms, therefore, breaks are breaks and die in the process because they cannot usually travel in through the blood cells.

Diagnostics of Microcytic Anemia

A doctor can diagnose microcytic Anemia by running a blood test that is referred to as complete blood count (CBC), this may be carried out for other reasons, but this condition can be tested in the process. In this test indicates they the patient has anemia; the doctor will carry out another test refer to as peripheral blood smear. This diagnostic can help to identify early stages of microcytic anemia through the changes that occur in the red blood cells. Normochromic, hyperchromic or Hypochromia can also be identified through a peripheral blood smear (Urrechaga et al. 2015). A person who has been tested positive of microcytic anemia can be referred to the hematologist for further medical assistance, hematologist is a specialist in blood disorders and can design for further tests and treatment plans. Once the doctor has diagnosed a patient of this condition, another test to determine the cause is carried out to ensure proper treatment plans.

Treatment of Microcytic Anemia

Treatment of microcytic anemia emphasizes on providing treatment for the underlying causes. In many cases, the doctor recommends vitamin C supplements and iron intake. Iron would act as a treatment of this condition, and vitamin C will help the body to increases the ability to absorb more iron (De Franceschi et al. 2017). The doctor may also provide treatment for causative agents such as chronic loss of blood and encourage women experiencing iron deficiency as a result of ministration periods to take hormonal control therapy.

References

De Franceschi, L., Iolascon, A., Taher, A., & Cappellini, M. D. (2017). Clinical management of iron deficiency anemia in adults: Systemic review on advances in diagnosis and treatment. European Journal of Internal Medicine, 42, 16-23.

Hoffmann, J. J., Urrechaga, E., & Aguirre, U. (2015). Discriminant indices for distinguishing thalassemia and iron deficiency in patients with microcytic anemia: a meta-analysis. Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CCLM), 53(12), 1883-1894.

Subramaniam, G., & Girish, M. (2015). Iron deficiency anemia in children. The Indian Journal of Pediatrics, 82(6), 558-564.

Urrechaga, E., Hoffmann, J. J. M. L., Izquierdo, S., & Escanero, J. F. (2015). Differential diagnosis of microcytic anemia: the role of microcytic and hypochromic erythrocytes. International journal of laboratory hematology, 37(3), 334-340.

Urrechaga, E., Hoffmann, J. J. M. L., Izquierdo, S., & Escanero, J. F. (2015). Differential diagnosis of microcytic anemia: the role of microcytic and hypochromic erythrocytes. International journal of laboratory hematology, 37(3), 334-340.