| Symptoms
& History
Physical
Findings
Stop
& Think
Lab
and X-Ray
Differential
Diagnosis
The
Disease
Treatment
Conclusions
Quiz
& Evaluation |
|
Anemias
are like fevers, they are not a diagnosis, just a symptom.
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There is always an underlying
cause for an anemia.
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Ultimately it's the underlying
reason you've got to find and deal with.
We group anemias into three
broad categories:
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Blood loss
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Acute: trauma
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Chronic: GI lesions, gyn related.
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Increased rate of destruction
(hemolytic anemias)
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Hereditary: sickle cell, G6PD
deficiency etc.
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Acquired: antigen antibody,
infectious (malaria), mechanical (artificial heart valves)
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Impaired RBC production
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Vitamin deficiencies
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Space occupying lesions of bone
marrow
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Primary malignancies or fibrosing
conditions of bone marrow.
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Renal failure with decreased
erythropoietin.
But ultimately the process of
diagnosis begins with the history and CBC.
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