Anaemia is a condition due to excessive destruction of red blood cells (RBC) in body. It can also be due to destruction or low count of haemoglobin in RBC. Anaemia will be severe in patients with impaired production of RBC from bone marrow along with cell destruction. There are several causes and risk factors associated with anaemia.
Causes of Anaemia
The three major reasons for anaemia are reduction in RBC production, high rate of RBC destruction and blood loss. These in association with some risk factors can make the situation more complicated. Any of these or combination of factors can cause anaemia.
Excessive Blood Loss
This is the major cause of iron deficiency anaemia and is one of the major types of anaemia. It can either be short term or persist for long period. This type of heavy bleeding will be associated with excessive menopausal discharge, bleeding through digestive or urinary track, during surgery and related complications, cancer, trauma and problems in blood clotting mechanism. In all these situations, blood loss finally results in loss of haemoglobin and finally lack of sufficient oxygen to cells.
Heavy Destruction of RBC
The normal life span of RBC is 120 days. After that, they get destructed in liver and converted to bilirubin and excreted through urine. In anaemic patients, the rate of destruction of red blood cells will be much high. The reasons behind destruction are diverse including chronic diseases, certain enzyme deficiencies and sickle cell anaemia. In case of haemolytic anaemia, body will recognize red blood cells as foreign body and attacks. The destruction will be faster than production of cells.
Reduction in RBC Formation
There are several reasons for reduction in RBC formation like iron deficiency, folic acid deficiency and enzyme deficiency or errors. Conditions like difficulty in absorbing nutrients to body can also affect red blood cell formation.
Risk Factors of Anaemia
There are diverse reasons to be considered as risk factors for Anaemia. Major reasons include deficiency of vitamins, iron and minerals in diet so that body will not be able to synthesize or assimilate essential components for haemoglobin and RBC production. Severe blood loss during surgery or trauma is another situation. But the major factor concerned with prevalence of anaemia is chronic illness like cancer, diabetes, rheumatism, AIDS, inflammatory diseases like Crohn’s disease, thyroid and liver diseases. Chronic infections and genetic factors are also considered as risk factors of anaemia. |
