Iron deficiency anemia is a type of anemia that occurs due to iron deficiency, which is an important part of red blood cells. This type of anemia is one of the most frequent causes and is present when hemoglobin falls below normal limits. Dr. José Caravedo, hematologist at Clinica Ricardo Palma, gives us more information about this condition.

Who can get iron deficiency anemia?

This type of anemia can occur in:

• Adults due to chronic blood loss, which can be gynecological or gastrointestinal and not due to a diet lacking in foods rich in iron
• Children under 3 years of age due to inadequate nutrition and lack of supplement in the first year of life

What are the symptoms?

Among the symptoms that iron deficiency anemia causes are:

• Extreme fatigue
• Weakness
• Pale skin
• Shortness of breath
• Palpitations
• Headache, dizziness, or vertigo
• Unusual cravings for non-nutritive substances, such as ice, dirt, or paper
• Lack of appetite, especially in infants and children

How is it diagnosed?

It can be diagnosed directly and indirectly:

• Directly

  Through a bone marrow study, which allows us to reach a diagnosis with 100% certainty, by verifying the absence of medullary iron, processing the sample with special stains.

• Indirectly
  • Through the patient’s medical history
  • Through a physical exam
  • Performing lab tests

However, these tests give us a 70% certainty, not ruling out the possibility of having iron deficiency anemia.

Treatment

Treatment in a patient with iron deficiency anemia consists of the administration of iron and at the same time detecting the level of losses and eliminating it, otherwise the anemia will continue.

Dr. José Caravedo
Hematologist at Clinica Ricardo Palma