With the aging of our society, there are increasingly senile anemias, and the incidence is up to 17%. Nowadays, the whole society is advocating care for the health of the elderly, so the early diagnosis and treatment of senile anemias should be highly valued which can avoid the greater harm.

First, why the elderly prone to anemia

1 , related to the lack of hematopoietic raw materials

Gastrointestinal function is declining with age, tooth loss and taste buds atrophy, which also affect the digestion and absorption of nutrients. Hematopoietic raw materials will be lacking, then cause the red blood cells or hemoglobin deficiency.

Common anemia is iron deficiency anemia and nutritional giant cell anemia.

(1) Iron deficiency anemia:

With the reduced of the old people's stomach acid ,the absorption of iron decreased and easy to occur iron deficiency.

People who addicted to drinking strong tea, especially drinking after the meal are vulnerable to disease. Tannic acid which in tea can be combined with iron then influence the absorption of iron.

Old people are easy to suffer from hemorrhoids, perianal fissure, digestive tract cancer, resulting in chronic blood loss.This also a common cause to cause the elderly iron deficiency anemia.

(2) nutritional giant cell anemia:

Because the elderly are very aware of the prevention of cardiovascular disease.They often eat vagetable to prevent hyperlipidemia.But this also makes them undernutrition.

The main cause of nutritional anemia is some elderly people ( especially the lonely elderly ) diet is poor,

Chronic gastropathy makes the absorption of dietary nutrients to weaken.

2 , related to hematopoietic aging

Red bone marrow is the base of producing red blood cells. The body's red bone marrow gradually decrease with age, which also resulting the hematopoietic function decline and anemia.

3 , related to the low male hormone secretion in males.

The secretion of testosterone in the elderly male is insufficient, resulting in low hematopoiesis function.

4 , the elderly has more chronic disease

Common chronic diseases of the elderly such as infectious diseases, chronic cholecystitis, chronic gastritis, diabetes, arteriosclerosis, tumor, kidney disease, liver disease, etc., also can cause anemia.

Second, the harm of senile anemia

Red blood cells provide the necessary oxygen for whole body tissues and cells, and take away the resulting portion of carbon dioxide . Including heart, brain, kidney and other important organ tissue. Therefore, the number of red blood cells ( or hemoglobin content ) decreased will directly resulting the deterioration of the body's organ function, pathological changes. The elderly, especially those with chronic diseases, have a state of hypoxia, and if anemia occurs, the original chronic diseases will be aggravated.

Third, the manifestations of senile anemia

The elderly haemoglobin is mildly anaemic between 9~ 11 grams, and is generally asymptomatic, but it can beasymptom of minor or serious when hemoglobin is below the 8 gram.

　　General Symptoms: fatigue, wasting, physical decline, pale or chlorosis, ankle edema, etc.

　　Symptoms of cardiovascular system: palpitations, shortness of breath, chest tightness, choking, etc.

　　Neurological symptoms: dizziness, dizziness, burnout, insomnia, and memory loss. Serious people can also appear insanity, indifference, depression, irritability, but also have illusions, hallucinations. numbness of limb ends.

Digestive Symptoms: decreased appetite, even nausea, vomiting.

Patients often mistakenly think of heart disease, their own use of cardio-cerebral vascular drugs, resulting in severe anemia.

Fourth,importance of early diagnosis and early treatment

Early diagnosis and early treatment can prevent the occurrence of other diseases and contribute to the quality of life of the elderly.

The early treatment effect is better, the prognosis is better.

Reminder for seniors: once the symptoms of anaemia, must go to the hospital as soon as possible.