Anemia-Low Red Blood Cells

Anemia is a 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 heart breath , low vitality  , dizziness and if left untreated , stroke  of heart failure.

      There are three primary causes of anemia:

        1. Reduced production of red blood cells.   

        2. Excessive destruction of red blood cells.        

       3. Extensive  bleeding 

There are moire than 100 types of anemia. The most common type of anemia is iron-deficiency anemia. When the body's need for iron increases - such as during periods of rapid growth in childhood , during pregnancy or when deficiency may develop. low iron levels impair the body's ability to produce hemoglobin , a primary component of red blood cells.

   Pernicious anemia , a chronic ailment that mostly affects people over 40 , is a result of vitamin B12 deficiency. This vitamin is normally found in meat s and vegetables and is essential for the maturation of red blood cells . People with pernicious anemia are unable to produce intrinsic factor e, a substance that allows the small intestine to absorb vitamin B12 . This inability may be caused by a genetic disorder , Crohn's disease ( a immune system disorder that causes chronic inflammation of  the digestive tract) , or surgery that removes the part of the stomach that normally produces intrinsic factor.

     A plastic anemia occurs when bone marrow , the tissue that produces new red blood cells , becomes diseased of injured. bone marrow damage may result from a viral infection , cancer , radiation or exposure to toxic chemicals , include arsenic , benzene and some antibiotics and cancer medications.

     Sickle -cell anemia is an inherited disorder that affects mostly people of Africa ancestry. People with sickle-cell anemia have an abnormal form of hemoglobin that distorts red blood cells. These distorted cells are called sickle cells because of their resemblance to the sickle , a type of crescent-shaped cutting blade used in agriculture. The sickle shape make it difficult for these cells to pass through tiny blood vessels, preventing oxygen in the blood from reaching organs and tissues.