The difference in onset can shed light on the cause of the anemia, and also helps to determine which course of treatment will be most effective. Causes of AnemiaĪnemia can either be acute, with a sudden and severe onset, or it can be chronic, developing slowly over a long period of time. “These signs should always indicate that a loved one needs to be evaluated by a healthcare provider,” she asserts. Eldridge says that this assumption is sometimes correct, but common symptoms of “old age,” such as fatigue, weakness, dizziness, irritability, pale skin and shortness of breath, often point to more serious (and treatable) illnesses. When older people notice that they are tired or a little weaker than they used to be, they often attribute it to general aging. “If the hemoglobin level is below 12 grams per deciliter of blood in a woman, or 13.5 grams per deciliter in a man, that person may be said to be anemic.” Signs of Anemia “Hemoglobin is a protein in RBCs that carries oxygen to all the tissues in the body, making it an essential component of health and life,” explains Carole Eldridge, DNP, RN, CNE, NEA-BC, Vice President of Post-Licensure & Graduate Programs at the Chamberlain College of Nursing. This condition is diagnosed by measuring the amount of each through a simple blood test. Anemia can occur due to a loss of blood, insufficient or faulty production of red blood cells (RBCs), or the destruction of these cells. When someone is anemic, the number of red cells in their blood or the amount of hemoglobin in these cells is lower than it should be.
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