Anemia

Anemia (American English) or anaemia (Commonwealth English), which literally means "without blood," is a deficiency of red blood cells and/or hemoglobin. This results in a reduced ability of blood to transfer oxygen to the tissues. Hemoglobin (the oxygen-carrying protein in the red blood cells) has to be present to ensure adequate oxygenation of all body tissues and organs.

Diagnosis

The only way to diagnose anemia is with a blood test. Generally, a full blood count is done. Apart from reporting the amount of red blood cells and the hemoglobin level, the automatic counters also measure the size of the red blood cells, which is an important tool in distinguishing between the causes.

Related Topics:
Blood test - Full blood count - Red blood cell - Hemoglobin - Automatic counters

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Occasionally, other tests are required to further distinguish the cause for anemia. These are discussed with the differential diagnosis (below). The doctor may also decide to take some other screening blood tests that might identify the cause of fatigue; serum glucose, ESR, ferritin, serum iron, RBC folate level, serum vitamin B12, renal function tests (e.g. serum creatinine) and electrolytes may be part of such a workup.

Related Topics:
Glucose - ESR - Ferritin - Serum iron - RBC folate level - Serum vitamin B12 - Renal function - Serum creatinine - Electrolyte

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