Anemia and the Elderly
Anemia should not be accepted as an inevitable consequence of aging. A cause is found in approximately 80 percent of elderly patients. The most common causes of anemia in the elderly are chronic disease and iron deficiency. Vitamin B12 deficiency, folate deficiency, gastrointestinal bleeding and myelodysplastic syndrome are among other causes of anemia in the elderly. The medical science behind anemia has shown that health problems can be traced back to the lifestyles of those who are affected. Anemia is a problem which is quite common among people of ages, races and economic status but prevalent in seniors. Doctors and researchers are working hard to discover new types, new remedies and different alternatives to the few current existing ones. Studies have revealed that the main prevalence of this problem is usually found in youth, but sometimes in adults. It has been identified in children, but is less pronounced when compared to adults and young adolescents. The prime reason for these numbers is due to lifestyle choices.
Doctors urge seniors--of which up to 80% have anemia, to watch their diets carefully.
A big misconception for seniors is that every sickness is attributed to age. The challenges faced by doctors in identifying anemia can be challenging and time-consuming because of numerous other problems that may also be affecting and elderly person. Many of them are often prone to diabetes, heart disease, bronchitis and other diseases. These pose a serious threat to the treatment of their anemia as the medications prescribed may contradict their existing medications and can cause more harm than help.
Anemia in elderly people can also be difficult to identify because it varies in intensity, thus making it a complete different case than that of young children and adults. The identifying process involves series of blood tests and iron deficits in the body. These tests can often cause agitation and even anger in patients.
The treatment for seniors can be entirely different than those of young people. Anemia is a deficiency syndrome which accumulates in the body through red blood cells, causing hindrances in their paths to transport oxygen. Many elderly people suffer from diseases and organ failures at times, such that the lungs may not be able to accommodate enough oxygen thus creating a natural deficit. Elderly patients may have asthma, COPD, and other respiratory conditions and so the body needs an external inhaler to supply an optimal oxygen/carbon dioxide cycle.
It’s quite common for elderly people to experience anemia, and the treatments that are prescribed to them will differ depending on each individual's specific problems. Colonoscopies, oral injections and foods containing iron are recommended to anemic elderly. Iron supplements can be in forms of juices and vegetables such as spinach, radish and beetroot. These vegetables can be inculcated in juice form so consumption can be made easier, since many elderly people may not be able to chew efficiently.
