Anemia is a condition characterized by hematopoietic dysfunction, a decrease in the concentration of hemoglobin protein and red blood cells per unit volume of blood. Since the main function of red blood cells is oxygen transport in the body, their pathology (the appearance of immature red blood cells, a decrease in the concentration of red blood cells in the body, the presence of cells with genetic defects) leads to the development of hypoxia.
The development of anemia can be associated with many factors (a variety of diseases and intoxication, bone marrow hypoplasia, erythrocyte hemolysis, blood loss, etc.). Anemia is a disease accompanied by a violation of the respiratory function of the blood. With progressive anemia, a severe form of oxygen deficiency occurs, which can lead to death. It should be said that this disease is characterized not only by a decrease in the concentration of hemoglobin and red blood cells, while the biochemical profile of the blood also changes.
The medical history of anemia is associated with the Middle Ages. In those days, patients were considered vampires because of poverty. Patients were offered to drink the blood of animals, this gave a temporary positive effect. In ancient Greece, it was noticed that rusty water helps in the treatment of anemia. In the 16th century, Paracelsus used iron oxide to treat the disease. At the beginning of the 20th century, crude liver was successfully used to treat patients with anemia, and scientists also found that it was in animal products that contained the largest amount of iron available to the body.
Classification of Anemia
The classification is based on the pathogenetic principle. Taking into account pathogenesis, anemia is classified into posthemorrhagic (occur due to blood loss), hypoplastic (recorded with circulatory disorders), hemolytic (formed as a result of increased hemolysis or blood destruction).
Etiology and pathogenesis
Alimentary anemia is a disease that develops when there is a deficiency in food or as a result of the body absorbing substances that ensure the normal functioning of the blood formation organs. Such substances include protein, iron, copper, cobalt, vitamins B1, B12, Sun, ascorbic acid. Since people consume a significant amount of animal products, nutritional anemia is quite rare in practice. Significantly more often there is anemia of a secondary nature, which develops as a result of malabsorption of trace elements or vitamins. Depending on how these compounds are absorbed in the body, anemia is classified into B12-, folic acid deficiency and iron deficiency.
B12-deficient and folic acid deficiency anemia is a pathology that develops due to a lack of cobalt, vitamins B12, Bs, C vitamins, gastritis, gastroenteritis, and fatty hepatosis. Secondary anemia also develops in chronic infections (tuberculosis), invasions, hypo- and vitamin deficiencies.
With a shortage of cobalt in food products, intestinal microflora do not synthesize cyanocobalamin sufficiently, while vitamins B12, Bs and C are necessary for normal differentiation of red blood cells. Cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12) is absorbed by the body only when it interacts with an internal antianemic factor, gastromucoprotein, which is synthesized in the stomach. As a result of this interaction, a new anti-anemic substance is formed in the kidneys - erythropoietin, which enters the bloodstream and, together with ascorbic acid, converts vitamin Bc into the active form - tetrahydrofolic acid, which is responsible for normal erythropoiesis. Deficiency of antianemic factors can develop as a result of stomach diseases, in which the synthesis of gastromucoprotein is impaired. In this case, cyanocobalamin coming from food is not used for the synthesis of erythropoietin. Insufficient synthesis of erythropoietin may also be a consequence of kidney disease.
With a deficiency of vitamin B12 and Bs, disturbances occur in the normal process of maturation of red bone marrow cells.