[Anemia, this time without iron deficiency].
The approach to anemia by the primary care physician is to diagnose treatable causes like nutritional deficiencies, renal insufficiency, chronic inflammatory disease or hemolysis. Measurement of reticulocytes allows a distinction of hemolytic and non-hemolytic anemia. Among hemolytic anemias it is important to recognize rare but potentially severe diseases as autoimmune hemolytic anemia, microangiopathic anemia and certain hereditary anemias. Non-hemolytic anemias can be categorized in microcytic, normocytic and macrocytic subtypes. This allows a rational stepwise approach for each category. Most anemias can be correctly classified, evaluated for underlying disease and treated by the primary care physician.
Gregor
M
M
Hämatologie, Departement Medizin, Kantonsspital Luzern. michael.gregor@ksl.ch
D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D000743:Anemia, Hemolytic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D000744:Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D000745:Anemia, Hemolytic, Congenital / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D000748:Anemia, Macrocytic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D003298:Coombs Test; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care; D013997:Time Factors; D014944:World Health Organization