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Anemia means a low level of red blood cells, which carry oxygen. Mild anemias generally produce no symptoms but more severe anemia can cause shortness of breath, fatigue, and dizziness.

Causes include:

Increased loss - Usually bleeding is obvious. Vaginal bleeding (menstrual) can be significant enough to cause anemia and bleeding into the stomach an intestines can go unnoticed. Trauma patients with a fracture thigh can bleed significantly into the muscle. Certain conditions can cause the red cells to burst within the blood vessel causing no visible bleeding (abnormal hemoglobins such as sickle cell fall into this category).

Decreased production - The most common reason for this is low iron, often caused by low level bleeding and occasionally a poor diet. Other vitamin deficiencies and diseases can also do this.

Factitious - If the total body fluid is up or the tourniquette is left on too long when drawing the blood fluid can dilute the red cells despite having a normal amount.

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13y ago

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