Anemia, medical condition caused by an abnormally low number of red blood cells. Red blood cells, also called erythrocytes, contain hemoglobin, a red, iron-rich protein that carries oxygen in the blood to the body’s tissues. People with anemia develop symptoms caused by the poor delivery of oxygen to their body tissues. These symptoms include pale skin, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, low vitality, dizziness, and, if left untreated, stroke or heart failure.
CAUSES
Thalassemia, inherited blood disease resulting from defective production of hemoglobin, the protein that transports oxygen in the blood. People with thalassemia typically develop anemia, a condition that results in inadequate delivery of oxygen to the body’s tissues, which can produce symptoms ranging from fatigue to organ damage. Two main types of thalassemia exist, alpha thalassemia and beta thalassemia.
While the severity of these two thalassemia types varies, in general, alpha thalassemia is less severe. Patients living with this form of the disease usually have mild to moderate symptoms, which are often manageable without treatment. Beta thalassemia, on the other hand, is generally much more severe. Untreated, it is usually fatal in the first few years of life. More common worldwide than beta thalassemia, alpha thalassemia occurs throughout Southeast Asia and China and sometimes among people of Mediterranean descent. Beta thalassemia primarily affects people of Mediterranean or Middle Eastern descent. Approximately 100,000 babies are born with thalassemia worldwide each year, according to the March of Dimes, an organization devoted to the prevention of birth defects.
There are three primary causes of anemia: (1) reduced production of red blood cells; (2) excessive destruction of red blood cells; and (3) extensive bleeding.
- Reduced Production of Red Blood Cells
Red blood cell production becomes impaired if the body has inadequate amounts of certain nutrients, including iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid, as well as the hormone erythropoietin, which is produced by the kidneys...........
