In clinical settings, advanced practice nurses often encounter patients with blood disorders such as anemia. Consider the case of a 17-year-old girl who is rushed to the emergency room after suddenly fainting. NURS 6501 Week 7 Discussion: Anemia The girl’s mother reports that her daughter has had difficulty concentrating for the past week, frequently becomes dizzy, and has not been eating normally due to digestion problems. The mother also informs the nurse that their family has a history of anemia. With the family history of anemia, it appears that this is the likely diagnosis. However, in order to properly diagnose and treat the patient, not only must her symptoms and family history be considered, but also factors such as gender, ethnicity, age, and behavior. This poses the question: How do patient factors impact the incidence and prevalence of different types of anemia?
To prepare FOR NURS 6501 Week 7: Anemia Discussion:
Review Chapter 20 in the Huether and McCance text. Reflect on the pathophysiological mechanisms of iron deficiency anemia.
Select one of the following types of anemia: pernicious anemia, folate deficiency anemia, sideroblastic anemia, chronic inflammation anemia, or post-hemorrhagic anemia. Identify the pathophysiological mechanisms of the anemia you selected. NURS 6501 Week 7 Discussion: Anemia
Consider the similarities and differences between iron deficiency anemia and the type of anemia you selected.
Reflect on how patient factors such as genetics, gender, ethnicity, age, and behavior might impact these anemic disorders.
NURS 6501 Week 7: Anemia Discussion By Day 3
Post an explanation of the pathophysiological mechanisms of iron deficiency anemia and the anemia you selected. Compare these two types of anemia, as well as their potential causes. Finally, explain how genetics, gender, ethnicity, age, and behavior might impact the anemic disorders you selected.
Respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days who selected different types of anemia than you, in the following ways:
Share insights on how the anemia you selected is similar to or different from the one your colleague selected.
NURS 6501 Week 7 Anemia Discussion
Discuss how genetic, gender, ethnic, age, and behavioral factors impact the diagnosis and prescription of treatment for anemic patients.
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Types and causes
RBCs are required for survival in the body.
Hemoglobin is a complicated protein that latches to iron molecules and is transported by them.
These molecules are responsible for transporting oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.
Low RBC levels can be caused by a variety of medical problems.
There are numerous different varieties of anemia, and there isn’t a single cause.
It can be difficult to determine what is causing a low RBC count in some persons.
Anemia is caused by three basic factors:
Loss of blood
The most prevalent type of anemia is iron deficiency anemia, which is commonly caused by blood loss.
This type of illness is caused by a lack of iron in the blood, and low iron levels are common as a result of blood loss.
When the body loses blood, it pulls water from tissues outside of the bloodstream to maintain the blood vessels inflated.
This extra water dilutes the blood, which lowers the RBC count.
Acute and fast blood loss can occur, as well as persistent blood loss.
Surgery, childbirth, and trauma are some of the causes of fast blood loss.
Anemia is more commonly caused by chronic blood loss.
A stomach ulcer, cancer, or another form of tumor might cause it.
Anemia due to blood loss can also be caused by:
Use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines, such as aspirin and ibuprofen, for gastrointestinal problems such as ulcers, hemorrhoids, cancer, or gastritis
menstruation bleeding that is excessive
RBCs that are depleted or deficient
Bone marrow is a soft, spongy tissue found in the middle of bones that aids in the formation of red blood cells (RBCs).
RBCs, white blood cells, and platelets are all produced by stem cells in the bone marrow.
Leukemia is one of the disorders that can impact bone marrow.
This is a form of cancer that causes an overabundance of aberrant white blood cells to be produced, causing RBC production to be disrupted.
Anemia can be caused by problems with the bone marrow.
Aplastic anemia, for example, develops when the marrow contains few or no stem cells. NURS 6501 Week 7 Discussion: Anemia
Anemia can occur when RBCs do not grow and mature normally, as in the case of thalassemia, a genetic cause of anemia.
Other kinds of anemia caused by a reduction in or impairment of RBCs include:
Sickle cell disease is a type of anemia that affects people.
RBCs are formed like crescents as a result of this.
They may degrade faster than healthy RBCs or get stuck in narrow blood arteries. NURS 6501 Week 7 Discussion: Anemia
This blockage can limit oxygen levels in the bloodstream and produce pain further down.
Anemia due to a lack of iron
Because of a deficiency of iron in the body, the body produces too few RBCs.
Iron-deficiency
Anemia can be caused by a variety of factors, including: NURS 6501 Week 7 Discussion: Anemia
a low-iron diet menstruation
often donating blood
some digestive diseases, such as Crohn’s disease, and drugs that irritate the gut lining, such as ibuprofen, endurance training
Anemia caused by a lack of vitamins
Both vitamin B-12 and folate are required for RBC formation.
A person’s RBC count may be low if they don’t get enough of either vitamin.
Megaloblastic anemia and pernicious anemia are two forms of vitamin-deficiency anemia.
RBCs are destroyed. NURS 6501 Week 7 Discussion: Anemia
In the bloodstream, these cells have a lifespan of 120 days, although the body may destroy or eliminate them before they complete their natural life cycle.
Autoimmune hemolytic anemia is one type of anemia caused by the destruction of RBCs.
RBCs are mistaken for a foreign substance by the immune system, which attacks them.
Excessive RBC breakdown can be caused by a variety of reasons, including:
Antibiotics, for example, are among the medications that can be used to treat infections. NURS 6501 Week 7 Discussion: Anemia
toxins produced by advanced kidney or liver disease an autoimmune attack due to hemolytic disease, such as snake or spider venom severe hypertension vascular grafts and prosthetic heart valves toxins produced by advanced kidney or liver disease an autoimmune attack due to hemolytic disease, such as snake or spider venom. NURS 6501 Week 7 Discussion: Anemia
Treatment
Anemia can be treated in a variety of waysTrusted Source. NURS 6501 Week 7 Discussion: Anemia
Each seeks to boost the number of red blood cells (RBCs), which increases the amount of oxygen in the blood.
Treatments for various kinds of anemia are outlined below:
Iron supplements and dietary adjustments can assist with iron deficiency anemia, and a doctor can identify and treat the source of excessive bleeding if necessary.
Treatments for vitamin deficiency anemia include dietary supplements and vitamin B-12 injections.
Treatments for thalassemia include folic acid supplements, iron chelation, blood transfusions, and bone marrow transplants in some cases.
Anemia caused by a chronic disease: The doctor will concentrate on treating the underlying problem. NURS 6501 Week 7 Discussion: Anemia
Blood transfusions or bone marrow transplants are used to treat aplastic anemia.
Oxygen therapy, pain relievers, and intravenous fluids are common treatments for sickle cell anemia, although antibiotics, folic acid supplements, blood transfusions, and a cancer drug called hydroxyurea can also be used.
Immunosuppressive medicines, infection therapies, and plasmapheresis, which filters the blood, are all possible treatments for hemolytic anemia.
Iron supplements can be purchased on the internet.
Diet
If anemia is caused by nutritional inadequacies, consuming more iron-rich foods can help.
Iron-rich foods include the following:Trusted Source:
cereals and breads enriched with iron
pulses and beans bright green veggies including kale, spinach, and watercress. NURS 6501 Week 7 Discussion: Anemia
white or red meats with brown rice
seeds and nuts
fish \stofu \seggs
apricots, raisins, and prunes are examples of dried fruits. NURS 6501 Week 7 Discussion: Anemia
