Types of Anemia and the Compensatory Measures to Restore Cardiac Output

Health Essay 2
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Health Essay 2
Types of Anemia
The main type of anemia is iron deficiency anemia. It is caused by a deficiency of the nutrient iron in the body. The clinical manifestations of iron deficiency anemia include pale skin and unexplained fatigue. One may also experience shortness of breath and chest pain, especially when involved in an activity. The diagnostic test for this type of anemia is a complete blood count (DeLoughery, 2017). The test reveals the relative amount of red blood cells in comparison to the expected normal. Pernicious anemia is another type. It is caused by a lack of what is referred to as the intrinsic factor. The body cannot develop healthy red blood cells due to the inability to absorb vitamins B9 and B12. Clinical manifestations include loss of appetite, being unsteady when walking, bleeding of the gums, and jaundice. One may also experience an impaired sense of smell. The diagnostic test of this type of anemia includes taking blood tests to monitor whether vitamins are deficient. If a vitamin deficiency is detected, an antibody test is taken to check for antibodies to intrinsic factor.
Sickle cell anemia is a genetically related form. Here, the shape of the blood cells is faulty- assumes the shape of a sickle cell. Due to their shape, they may clog blood vessels and cause damage. Clinical manifestations include episodes of great pain that cannot be explained, swelling of the abdominal area, fever, and swelling in the hands and feet. The diagnostic test for sickle cell anemia is a blood test that checks for any abnormally in the shape of red blood cells. The other form of anemia is referred to as aplastic. The causative of this type of anemia is damaged bone marrow. When the bone marrow is damaged, the body is unable to make adequate red blood cells. The clinical manifestations include bleeding that is usually uncontrolled and serious fatigue with just little activity. To diagnose this type of anemia, physicians observe the cells of the bone marrow under a microscope to check for an abnormally. Discussed above are the major types of anemia. One common thing about all types of anemia is that they lead to either few or malfunctioning red blood cells.
Compensatory measures employed by the body in n attempt to restore cardiac output
First, the sympathetic nervous system releases substances known as catecholamines in the blood. These substances stimulate the blood vessels to constrict in a bid to speed up the rate of the heart. Further, the arteries that transport blood to the brain and other vital organs dilate to increase the blood flow. Secondly, the body releases certain hormones that stimulate the constriction of blood vessels. The specific hormones and chemicals released by the body with the aim of stimulating the constriction are angiotensin, aldosterone, and renin. The effect of this compensatory measure is an increase of the fluid in the circulatory system. The fluid becomes part of the blood, thereby increasing the circulating volume.
Since cardiac output refers to the amount of blood that the heart is able to pump per minute, the goal of the compensatory mechanisms is to ensure a normal cardiac output is restored (Vincent, 20...