Hemorrhagic Anemia

Anemia can be defined as a reduction in the number of circulating red bloods cells in your system. Anemia cannot be classified as a disease, but rather it is a symptom of an underlying cause or disease.

There are over four hundred types of anemia. Many of these types of anemia are very rare. However, it is interesting to note that over half of the worlds population will have a bout with anemia at least once in their life.

Anemia can be classified as nutritional or non-nutritional. Nutritional anemia comes from a deficit of iron or other vitamins or mineral in ones diet.

If the anemia cannot be traced back to a specific lack of nutrition then it is considered a non-nutritional type of anemia. Certain hereditary conditions can cause chronic anemia.

The signs and symptoms of anemia are not always obvious. The very first signs that you may be anemic can be loss of appetite, headaches or a ringing in the ears. If your red blood cell count continues to drop you will start to experience extreme fatigue, depression, cold extremities, weakness and a very pale complexion.

Hemorrhagic anemia is a type of anemia that happens when you develop a sudden drop in your blood count due to excessive bleeding. This could be from a number of underlying conditions or trauma.

Some people will experience hemorrhagic anemia if they develop a gastrointestinal bleed that is a result of ulcers or a ruptured bowel polyp. Alcoholics can suffer from esophageal varices that are abnormally large veins found in the lower part of your esophagus. Sometimes if the blood flow to the liver becomes blocked this blood will back up into these varices and cause them to rupture. This is a life-threatening hemorrhagic condition that needs treatment right away.

Other causes of hemorrhagic anemia may be excessive menstrual bleeding. This can happen in the case of uterine fibroids. These fibroids can cause such heavy bleeding during your period that you can develop anemia.

Having surgery can put you at risk for hemorrhagic anemia. If there are bleeding complications after the surgery you may become anemic. If this bleeding is not stopped right away it could result in death.

If someone is suffering from hemorrhagic anemia their condition will deteriorate very quickly. As their blood count drops, they will become weaker and short of breath. Their heart rate will gradually increase, and they may start to get agitated.

The treatment of hemorrhagic anemia is to give blood transfusions. However, the blood transfusions will only treat the symptoms of hemorrhagic anemia. The cause of the blood loss must be found and corrected to have a favorable outcome.