Anemia
Anemia is characterized by the reduction in circulating red blood cell (RBC) mass.
Anemia leads to a reduced flow of oxygen in the body.
Common signs and symptoms of anemia include:
- Hypoxia
- Weakness
- Light headedness
- Fatigue
- Dyspnea
- Pale conjunctiva
- Pale skin
- Headache
Hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), and RBC count are often used to determine RBC mass, since it’s hard to measure.
Anemia is defined as:
- Hemoglobin < 13.5 g/dL in males
- Hemoglobin < 12.5 g/dL in females
Anemia can also be classified into three categories based on mean corpuscular volume (MCV):
- Microcytic anemia (MCV < 80)
- Normocytic anemia (MCV = 80 – 100)
- Macrocytic anemia (MCV > 100)
Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria. Haemolytic Anaemia. Prof. Osaro Erhabor. Not altered. CC BY-SA 4.0
