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What is anemia?
Anemia means that you don’t have enough red blood
cells in your blood or that these cells don’t work
right. Red blood cells contain hemoglobin, which
helps carry oxygen throughout the body. If you have
anemia, your body won’t get all the oxygen it needs
and you may feel “run down.” Common symptoms
include fatigue, heart palpitations or a fast heartbeat,
chest pain, shortness of breath, light-headedness,
headache, and weakness. But some people don’t
have any symptoms at first, and anemia may be discovered from a routine blood test.
How do I know I have anemia?
Your healthcare provider will ask you about your
health history and examine you. A sample of your
blood will be taken to check your red blood cells
and hemoglobin. Your healthcare provider will test
your stool for hidden blood; you may not know
you have slow internal bleeding that’s causing your
anemia.
Your healthcare provider will also do tests to find
out what type of anemia you have.
How is anemia treated?
Treatment depends on the cause. (See What causes anemia and how is it treated?) If you
have iron-deficiency
anemia, your healthcare provider will want you to eat
more iron-rich foods, such as liver, whole-grain breads
and cereals, eggs, and dark green vegetables. You may
also need an iron supplement. If your anemia is severe,
blood transfusions may help. ■
Anemia
By Susan Simmons, PhD, RN, ARNP-BC
Nurse practitioner • Olathe Medical Services, Inc. • Olathe, Kan.
This patient-education guide has been adapted for the 5th-grade level using the Flesch-
Kincaid and SMOG
formulas. It may be photocopied for clinical use or adapted to meet your facility’s
requirements. Selected
references are available upon request.
®
Patient EducationSeries
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What causes anemia and how is it treated?
Type of anemia What causes it How it’s treated
Iron-deficiency anemia • not eating enough iron-rich foods Diet changes and iron pills or
multivitamins
• your body not absorbing or using iron with iron.
properly
Vitamin B
12
deficiency anemia • your body not absorbing vitamin B
12
Vitamin B
12
pills or injections
Folic acid deficiency anemia • not eating enough foods containing folic acid Diet changes
and folic acid pills
Acute blood loss anemia • any excessive blood loss, including bleeding I.V. fluids or a
blood transfusion if you’ve lost a
in the stomach or intestines (which may be lot of blood. Avoid alcohol and drugs that
may
caused by prolonged use of nonsteroidal cause bleeding and take iron pills as directed by
anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin or your healthcare provider. If the blood loss is
ibuprofen or by excess alcohol consumption) caused by heavy menstrual bleeding,
treatment
• heavy menstrual bleeding may include birth control pills or other hormones
or surgery.
Anemia of chronic disease • cancer If possible, correct the underlying disease.
• kidney disease You may need injections to help your body
• liver disease make red blood cells.
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