• Anemia is a blood disorder.
• Blood is a vital liquid that your heart pumps through your blood vessels and all throughout your body.
• When something goes wrong with your blood, it can affect your health and quality of life.
• Anemia can affect people at all ages, especially malnourished children and pregnant ladies.
• Many types of anemia exist, but the most common type is iron deficiency anemia.
• The good news is that anemia often can be successfully treated and even prevented.

What is Iron-Deficiency Anemia?

• Your body needs iron to make hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells (RBCs) that carries oxygen.
• The main way you get iron is from food.
•  At certain times—such as during pregnancy, growth spurts, or blood loss—your body may need to make more RBCs than usual. Thus, your body needs more iron than usual.
• Iron deficiency anemia occurs if your body can’t keep up with its need for iron.
• Groups at risk are Infants and children, adolescents, and women of childbearing age.
• People who have certain diseases and conditions, such as Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, or kidney failure.
• People who don’t get enough iron from the foods they eat.  
• People who have internal bleeding.
• Treatment: Iron supplements and dietary changes (eating food rich in iron and vitamin C, which increases iron absorption from food).

Possible Signs and Symptoms of Anemia:

• Tiredness or weakness. Pale skin l Faintness or dizziness l Increased thirst l Sweating l Weak and rapid pulse, rapid breathing l Shortness of breath l Lower leg cramps l Heart-related symptoms (abnormal heart rhythms, heart murmurs, enlarged heart, heart failure)

Compiled by: Dr. Gasmelbari Mustafa

                       Expert Hematologist