Anemia

A disease of blood deficiency in which the red blood cell count is decreased resulting in poor health. In this condition, the number of red blood cells per millimeter cube or the amount of hemoglobin in 100 ml of blood is less than normal. It may also be caused by a decrease in the size of red blood cells. The mean corpuscular volume in a normal person is 82-92 µm3.

Anemia shows the following symptoms:
1. Paleness of the skin as well as mucous membranes
2. Short breath
3. Irregular or fast rate of heart beat
4. Soft systolic fluttering sound in the chest
5. Tending to become extremely tired

Main types of anemia:
There are almost 100 various types of anemia. According to the structure, anemia is of the following types:

Macrocytic anemia:
It is the type of anemia in which the size of red blood cells is larger than the normal such as in pernicious anemia. Pernicious anemia is the result of deficient intrinsic factor.

Normocytic anemia:
It is the type of anemia caused by the decrease in the number of red blood cells but the size is normal. Anemia caused by sudden blood loss is a normocytic anemia.

Microcytic anemia:
It is the type of anemia in which the average size of the red blood cell is reduced.

Simple microcytic anemia:
It is marked by smaller than normal red cells. It is found in chronic inflammatory conditions as well as in renal disease.

Microcytic hypochromic anemia:
It is marked not only by decreased red cell size but also by the decrease in hemoglobin concentration. It is seen in iron deficiency anemia and in thalassemia.

Anti-Anemic drugs