Anemia should not be accepted as an inevitable consequence of aging. A cause is found in approximately 80 percent of elderly patients. The most common causes of anemia in the elderly are chronic disease and iron deficiency.

Author:
Douglas L. SmithCited by:
Publish Year:
2000

What is the cause of anemia in elderly?

A number of things can cause anemia in seniors , such as chronic disease, iron deficiency , vitamin B12 deficiency and bleeding.

Can anemia be a sign of something serious?

Anemia is a condition where you don’t have enough healthy red blood cells, to carry oxygen throughout your body. Anemia can be temporary or long term (chronic). In many cases, it’s mild, but anemia can also be serious and life-threatening.

What are the most serious complications of anemia?

The most serious complications of severe anemia arise from tissue hypoxia. Shock, hypotension , or coronary and pulmonary insufficiency can occur. This is more common in older individuals with underlying pulmonary and cardiovascular disease.

Can you live a long life with anemia?

Treatment may increase your energy and activity levels, improve your quality of life , and help you live longer . With proper treatment, many types of anemia are mild and short term. However, anemia can be severe, long lasting , or even fatal when it’s caused by an inherited or chronic disease or trauma.

How serious is anemia in the elderly?

The researchers also found that elderly people with anemia were associated with a 150% increase in hospitalization risk and a 200% increase in risk of being admitted to a nursing home. People with borderline anemia were found to be at 1.5 times the risk of those who were not anemic .

Should seniors take iron?

The answer is: probably not. While there is no exact iron limit for everyone, there are real dangers in taking too much. Diet is, most of the time, the best way to regulate and moderate your iron intake. However, there may be cases where an older adult will need to take an iron supplement .

What are the stages of anemia?

There are three stages of iron deficiency . The first stage is iron depletion in which iron stores become low, and ferritin levels are reduced. Iron-Deficiency Anemia: Signs, Symptoms , and Treatment Fatigue . Weakness. Pale skin. Shortness of breath. Dizziness. Swollen, sore tongue. Abnormal heart rate.

What is considered severe anemia?

For all of the tested groups, moderate anemia corresponds to a level of 7.0-9.9 g/dl, while severe anemia corresponds to a level less than 7.0 g/dl.

What foods to avoid if you are anemic?

Foods to avoid tea and coffee. milk and some dairy products. whole-grain cereals. foods that contain tannins, such as grapes, corn, and sorghum. foods rich in gluten, such as pasta and other products made with wheat, barley, rye, or oats.

What does anemia fatigue feel like?

People who are anemic most often experience fatigue . While it’s normal to feel tired after a long day at work or a heavy exercise session, when you’re anemic , you feel weary after shorter and shorter periods of exertion as your body’s cells become starved for oxygen.

What are the signs that you need a blood transfusion?

You might need a blood transfusion if you’ve had a problem such as: A serious injury that’s caused major blood loss . Surgery that’s caused a lot of blood loss . Blood loss after childbirth. A liver problem that makes your body unable to create certain blood parts. A bleeding disorder such as hemophilia.

How long does it take to recover from anemia?

Most people start to feel better within a few days of beginning treatment. Even though you feel better, you will need to keep taking the pills for several months to build up your iron stores. Sometimes it takes up to 6 months of treatment with iron supplements before iron levels return to normal.

Is Egg good for anemia?

When following a diet plan for anemia , remember these guidelines: Don’t eat iron-rich foods with foods or beverages that block iron absorption. These include coffee or tea, eggs , foods high in oxalates, and foods high in calcium.

Do bananas help anemia?

Since bananas are high in iron, consuming them can stimulate production of haemoglobin in the blood and help fight anemia . Anemia is a condition where there is a decrease in the number of red blood cells or haemoglobin in the blood, leading to fatigue, paleness and shortness of breath.

What should anemic person eat?

Choose iron-rich foods Red meat , pork and poultry. Seafood. Beans. Dark green leafy vegetables , such as spinach. Dried fruit, such as raisins and apricots. Iron-fortified cereals, breads and pastas. Peas.