Many anemia in elderly people hardly understand anemia.
This isn’t surprising: anemia is associated with a dizzying array of underlying health conditions, and can represent anything from a life-threatening emergency to a mild chronic problem that barely makes the primary care doctor blink.
Nonetheless, I am concerned about anemia in elderly people and family members who don't know more about it. If you or a relative has anemia in elderly people, it is important to understand what anemia in elderly people is and what the follow-up plan is. Misconceptions about anemia in elderly people can also lead to unnecessary worry and may even lead to inappropriate iron supplement therapy.
And, because anemia in elderly people is often caused by other problems in the body, not understanding anemia often means that people are not aware of other important issues regarding their health.
Fortunately, this article will help you understand.
- How to detect and diagnose anemia in elderly people.
- The symptoms of anemia in elderly people.
- The most common causes of anemia in elderly people, and the tests often used to check for it.
- Using a hemoglobin meter to test anemia in elderly people
- You should ask your doctor about anemia in elderly people.
- How to get better follow-up treatment if you or a relative has been diagnosed with anemia in elderly people.
Symptoms of anemia in elderly people
The red blood cells in your blood use hemoglobin to carry oxygen from your lungs to every cell in your body. So when a person doesn’t have enough properly functioning red blood cells, the body begins to experience symptoms related to not having enough oxygen.
Common symptoms of anemia in elderly people are:
- fatigue
- weakness
- shortness of breath
- high heartrate
- headaches
- becoming paler, which is often first seen by checking inside the lower lids
- lower blood pressure (especially if the anemia is caused by bleeding)
Avoiding common pitfalls related to anemia in elderly people
A very common diagnosis anemia in elderly people is iron-deficiency anemia. If you are diagnosed with this type of anemia, be sure the doctors have checked a ferritin level or otherwise confirmed you are low on iron.
I have actually reviewed medical charts in which a patient was prescribed iron for anemia in elderly people, but no actual low iron level was documented. This suggests that the clinician may have presumed the anemia was due to low iron.
However, although iron deficiency is common, it’s important that clinicians and patients confirm this is the cause, before moving on to treatment with iron supplements. Doctors should also assess for other causes of anemia in elderly people, since it’s very common for older adults to simultaneously experience multiple causes of anemia in elderly people (e.g. iron deficiency and vitamin B12 deficiency).
If an iron deficiency is confirmed, be sure the doctors have tried to check for any causes of slow blood loss.
It is common for older adults to develop microscopic bleeds in their stomach or colon, especially if they take a daily aspirin or a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen. (For this reason — and others — NSAIDs are on the Beer’s list of medications that older adults should use with caution.)
Bear in mind that iron supplements are often quite constipating for older adults. So you only want to take them if an iron-deficiency anemia has been confirmed, and you want to make sure any causes of ongoing blood loss (which causes iron loss) have been addressed.
The most important take home points on anemia in older adults
Here’s what I hope you’ll take away from this article:
1.Anemia in elderly people is a very common condition for older adults, and often has multiple underlying causes.
2. Anemia in elderly people is often mild-to-moderate and chronic; don’t let the follow-up fall through the cracks.
3. If you are diagnosed with anemia in elderly people or if you notice a lower than normal hemoglobin on your lab report, be sure to ask questions to understand your anemia. You’ll want to know:
- Is the anemia chronic or new?
- Is it mild, moderate, or severe?
- What is thought to be the cause? Have you been checked for common problems such as low iron or low vitamin B12?
4. If you are diagnosed with low iron levels: could it be from a small internal bleed and could that be associated with aspirin, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen, or another medication?
5. Keep copies of your lab reports.
6. Make sure you know what the plan is, for following your blood count and for evaluating the cause of your anemia.
See also:
2. What Is Blood Test For Iron Called?
3. 2022 Best Home Hemoglobin Meter Buyers Guide
4. Can I take anemia tests at home?
5. How to choose the at-home kidney test？
6. What main factors influence the hemoglobin test for results?