Major symptoms of Anemia in elderly people
Anemia in elderly people will show different symptoms in several systems. Digestive system: Loss of appetite, some will experience bloating, nausea and constipation. In severe cases, mild enlargement of the liver may occur, especially when anemia leads to heart failure, accompanied by pressure and pain.
Cardiovascular system of anemia in elderly people. Palpitations and shortness of breath occur after physical activity. In severe cases, palpitations and shortness of breath may occur even at rest.
Nervous system of anemia in elderly people. Dizziness, headache, ringing in the ears, blurred vision, and black spots in front of the eyes. Some people may also experience mental fatigue, drowsiness, difficulty concentrating, slowness of reaction, memory loss, numbness in the hands and feet, and chills all over the body. In severe cases, there may be a sensation of pins and needles, and even blurred consciousness and fainting.
Genitourinary system of anemia in elderly people: changes in urine color and urine volume, etc. If acute massive hemolysis of blood vessels occurs, the color of urine may be black tea or soy sauce-like. In severe anemia, oliguria, anuria, and even acute renal failure may occur.
For elderly women of anemia in elderly people: menstrual irregularities. Usually excessive menstrual flow, but occasionally too little, with amenorrhea being the most common.
For anemia in elderly people: pale skin and mucous membranes, swelling of the lower extremities, sometimes slight puffiness on awakening in the morning, etc.
Types of senile anemia in elderly people
Anemia in the elderly can generally be classified as primary or secondary. Primary refers to anemia associated with aging itself. Secondary refers to anemia caused by malnutrition or other systemic diseases.
The main common types are.
①Iron deficiency anemia in elderly people. It accounts for 36%-66% of anemia in elderly people. The main reason is that the digestive function of the elderly decreases, resulting in reduced absorption of iron. There are also some elderly people suffering from diseases such as hyperlipidemia and diabetes, who more strictly restrict the intake of meat, animal liver and other foods, leading to iron deficiency in the organism. Chronic gastrointestinal bleeding caused by digestive tract tumors and aspirin can also cause anemia. Patients may also exhibit symptoms such as painful swallowing and chapped corners of the mouth. In addition to anemia, patients often have a combination of mildly reduced white blood cells and platelets.
②Megaloblastic anemia in elderly people. On the one hand, there is insufficient intake of vitamin B12 or folic acid, which includes: first, due to decreased appetite in the elderly; second, insufficient intake due to restricted eating; third, excessive steaming of food during cooking, etc. On the other hand, the absorption of vitamin B12 or folic acid is impaired due to the decline of digestive function, such as chronic inflammation of the stomach and intestines. The main characteristics of this disease are: the onset is relatively slow and not easily detected, often accompanied by abdominal distension, diarrhea, constipation, or with numbness and loss of sensation in the hands and feet. The oral cavity will show tongue inflammation, smooth tongue or even tongue atrophy.
③Aplastic anemia in elderly people. Caused by low bone marrow hematopoietic function. The incidence is higher in the elderly. There is usually a history of chemical and radioactive substance exposure. Symptoms are often atypical, such as pale skin and mucous membranes are not obvious, often masked by pigmented spots in the elderly, and early misdiagnosis is more frequent. The disease is prone to serious infections, bleeding, and even heart failure, and is poorly treated, with a high mortality rate.
④ Myelodysplastic syndrome anemia in elderly people. It is a pathological hematopoiesis of blood cells, which often manifests as refractory anemia in the early stage, often accompanied by serious complications such as infection and bleeding, and has a high risk of transformation to leukemia. 80% of patients are over 60 years old, and there is no satisfactory treatment plan.
⑤ Chronic disease anemia in elderly people. It is anemia secondary to chronic inflammation, tumors, chronic liver and kidney diseases, and certain endocrine diseases, and is common in elderly people. Chronic inflammation affects the metabolism and absorption and utilization of iron, resulting in iron deficiency in the body.
Focus on the prevention and treatment of anemia in elderly people
There are some clinical cases of anemia in elderly people fever who feel good about themselves but are found to be anemic on physical examination with no symptoms other than low hematocrit. According to statistics, the incidence of anemia in elderly people over 60 years of age is as high as 20%. Some scholars believe that anemia in elderly people is a physiological aging process and should not be included in the list of diseases.
Others believe that the main cause of anemia in elderly people is due to aging. It is also related to the decrease in oxygen consumption due to reduced activity in the elderly, and therefore, the decrease in erythropoietin secretion due to oxygen consumption, resulting in impaired red blood cell production.
If you are diagnosed as anemia in elderly people, there is no need to be afraid. However, if you have symptoms such as shortness of breath and panic because of anemia, you should take it seriously and go to the hospital for a thorough examination.
Clinically, there are many cases of heart diseases such as angina pectoris and arrhythmia occurring in elderly people due to untreated anemia, which can be life-threatening in serious cases. The key to treating anemia is to find out the cause of the disease. If the anemia is only caused by nutritional deficiency, it is very important to pay attention to scientific diet.
In the human body, the bone marrow is the factory of blood production and its product is blood cells. To produce this product, there must be sufficient raw materials and qualified production conditions, the raw materials being protein, iron, folic acid and vitamin B12.
A decrease or lack of hematopoietic raw materials can lead to nutritional deficiency anemia. The main causes are the following. Decreased intake of iron. The total food intake of the elderly is gradually decreasing and so is the intake of iron.
In developed countries, the daily intake of iron is about 14 mg for elderly people aged 60 to 90 years and 11 mg for women. Iron in food is generally divided into heme iron and non-heme iron. In the intestine, heme iron is absorbed directly by mucosal epithelial cells with an absorption rate of more than 20%.
Non-heme iron, on the other hand, is affected by other components in the food before it is absorbed and has a lower absorption rate. Half of the iron in animal foods is heme iron, and the iron in plant foods is non-heme iron.
Anemia in elderly people, due to hyperlipidemia and hypertension, the intake of meat, fish and poultry is reduced and the intake of plant foods is increased; the oxalic acid, phosphate and dietary fiber contained in plant foods also reduce the absorption of non-heme iron; there is also insufficient stomach acid, etc., which can lead to a reduction in iron absorption. Inadequate protein intake.
The main components of hemoglobin are hemoglobin and pearl protein, and only iron without sufficient amino acids still cannot synthesize hemoglobin. The elderly themselves have a reduced rate of protein synthesis in their bodies, and if they further restrict their diet and reduce their protein intake, this can cause anemia.
Insufficient intake of vitamin B12, B6 and folic acid. Vitamin B12 in food is absorbed by the intestine with the help of the "internal factor" secreted by the stomach. Elderly people with severe stomach problems or those who have undergone major gastrectomy for a long time are prone to anemia. The body only has enough folic acid reserves for 3-4 months, and if it is not obtained from food in time, megaloblastic anemia is likely to develop.
Loss of appetite and weakened digestive function also contribute to anemia in the elderly. Anemia in elderly people should eat a balanced diet with a good mix of meat and vegetables, and chew slowly when eating. To prevent the decrease of folic acid, foods rich in folic acid, such as green leafy vegetables, soybean products, eggs, fish, citrus, etc., can be added appropriately. If necessary, oral folic acid tablets as well as vitamin B12 supplementation can be taken under the guidance of a doctor. To promote iron absorption, animal foods such as animal liver, tongue, duck gizzard, squid, jellyfish, shrimp, egg yolk, etc., as well as sesame seeds, seaweed, nori, shiitake mushrooms, black beans, etc. can be added appropriately.
References
1. How Is Anemia Treated? - Hematology Oncology Associates
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