Anaemia - when anaemia makes you tired and listless

More than just tiredness: signs of anaemia

The typical symptoms of anaemia are varied and often unspecific: many sufferers complain of reduced performance, shortness of breath, tiredness, paleness, dizziness or headaches. However, palpitations, i.e. an accelerated heart rate at rest or pulse during minor exertion, can also occur. Anaemia often goes unnoticed for a long time if it develops slowly and does not cause any major symptoms. However, as soon as symptoms such as blood in the stool or urine appear, you should have them checked out immediately.

Usually too few red blood cells

In order to diagnose anaemia, our experts always carry out a blood test. A blood count is taken, which provides a lot of information and can already point in the direction of the cause. This allows a direct assessment of whether the red blood cells are of a normal consistency and size. It is also analysed whether other blood cells are also reduced, for example the white blood cells or platelets. As soon as anaemia is confirmed, further investigations are necessary.

The most common parameter used in the diagnosis is the haemoglobin concentration, i.e. the amount of red pigment in the blood. This is usually reduced when anaemia is diagnosed. The WHO defines a haemoglobin level of 130 to 170 g/L (grams per litre) as normal for men and 120 to 160 g/L for women. All values below this are considered anaemia - of course the normal values for children and adolescents are different.

What can be done against anaemia?

At Bethesda Hospital, anaemia can be investigated on an outpatient or inpatient basis. Particularly in older patients in a reduced general condition or with concomitant illnesses, an inpatient investigation is often more sensible and more comfortable. In most cases, further blood tests are also carried out, and in certain cases a gastroscopy or colonoscopy or a bone marrow puncture. These examinations are offered by the Department of Internal Medicine in co-operation with other specialists at Bethesda Hospital.

It is very important not to start treatment for anaemia until the causes have been clarified, as the treatment can be very varied. Possible forms of therapy are

• Replacement of missing building blocks for haematopoiesis (iron, vitamin B12, EPO) with preparations
• in more severe cases: Replacement of blood through transfusions
• Treatment of an underlying illness, e.g. a stomach ulcer or gastritis

As a special service for anaemia, we offer you comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic options for causes in the gastrointestinal tract. We carry this out in collaboration with the gastroenterologists at the Clarunis University Abdominal Centre on site at Bethesda Hospital. We also work on an interdisciplinary basis with the haematologists at the Bethesda Oncopraxis for more complex haematopoietic cases.

Anaemia is the most common blood disorder

In Europe, around 5% to 10% of all people suffer from anaemia - in women of childbearing age the figure is as high as 20%. Although anaemia can occur at any age and in both sexes, women are more frequently affected - the same applies to people of an older age.