Pernicious anemia

• العربية • Bosanski • Català • Deutsch • Español • Euskara • فارسی • Français • Galego • Հայերեն • Bahasa Indonesia • Italiano • עברית • Nederlands • 日本語 • Norsk bokmål • ଓଡ଼ିଆ • Oʻzbekcha / ўзбекча • Polski • Português • Română • Русский • Simple English • Slovenščina • Српски / srpski • Suomi • Svenska • Türkçe • Українська • Tiếng Việt • 中文 Medical condition Pernicious anemia Other names Vitamin B 12 deficiency anemia, Biermer's anemia, 12 deficiency anemia. Feeling tired, Usual onset > 60 years old Causes Not enough Treatment Vitamin B 12 pills or injections With treatment a normal life Frequency 1 per 1000 people Pernicious anemia is a disease in which not enough 12. 12 deficiency may include decreased ability to think, Pernicious anemia refers to a type of 12 deficiency 12, and Because pernicious anemia is due to a lack of intrinsic factor, it is not preventable. 12. Pernicious anemia due to autoimmune problems occurs in about one per 1000 people in the US. Among those over the age of 60, about 2% have the condition. Signs and symptoms [ ] Pernicious anemia often presents slowly, and can cause harm insidiously and unnoticeably. Untreated, it can lead to neurological complications, and in serious cases, death. pins and needles), and tinnitus, may occur. In more severe or prolonged cases of pernicious anemia, nerve cell damage may occur, 12 deficiency, which is reversible, is occasionally confused with acute myeloid leukemia, which is an irreversible autoimmune condit...

• Pernicious anemia is when the body cannot absorb enough vitamin B12 in the small intestine, causing a drop in red blood cells. • Pernicious anemia causes fatigue, weakness, headaches, and weight loss. • Treatment for pernicious anemia involves vitamin B12 injections to restore levels to an optimal range, followed by continued injections or oral medications to maintain these levels. Pernicious anemia is one cause of vitamin B12 deficiency anemia. It’s thought to mainly be caused by an autoimmune process that makes a person unable to produce a substance in the stomach called intrinsic factor. This substance is needed to absorb dietary vitamin B12 in the small intestine. Vitamin B12 is a required nutrient that helps allow proper red blood cell production and function in the body. Pernicious anemia is a rare condition. It occurs in 0.1 percent of the general population and 1.9 percent in people who are older than 60 years, according to a However, up to 50 percent of anemia from vitamin B12 deficiency in adults is caused by pernicious anemia, study authors note. This type of anemia is called “pernicious” because it was once considered a deadly disease. This was due to the lack of available treatment. Today, the condition is relatively easy to treat with The progression of pernicious anemia is typically slow. It may be difficult to recognize the symptoms because you may have become used to not feeling well. Common symptoms include: • fatigue • weakness • • • weight loss • pale...

Overview Anemia is a problem of not having enough healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin to carry oxygen to the body's tissues. Hemoglobin is a protein found in red cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to all other organs in the body. Having anemia can cause tiredness, weakness and shortness of breath. There are many forms of anemia. Each has its own cause. Anemia can be short term or long term. It can range from mild to severe. Anemia can be a warning sign of serious illness. Treatments for anemia might involve taking supplements or having medical procedures. Eating a healthy diet might prevent some forms of anemia. • • • • • Symptoms Anemia symptoms depend on the cause and how bad the anemia is. Anemia can be so mild that it causes no symptoms at first. But symptoms usually then occur and get worse as the anemia gets worse. If another disease causes the anemia, the disease can mask the anemia symptoms. Then a test for another condition might find the anemia. Certain types of anemia have symptoms that point to the cause. Possible symptoms of anemia include: • Tiredness. • Weakness. • Shortness of breath. • Pale or yellowish skin, which might be more obvious on white skin than on Black or brown skin. • Irregular heartbeat. • Dizziness or lightheadedness. • Chest pain. • Cold hands and feet. • Headaches. When to see a doctor Make an appointment with your health care provider if you're tired or short of breath and don't know why. Low levels of the protein in red blood cel...

Treatment Vitamin deficiency anemia is treated with doses of whichever vitamin is lacking. For pernicious anemia, vitamin B-12 is usually delivered via injection and may need to be taken regularly for the rest of your life. Vitamin B-12 is available as: • Injections into a muscle or under the skin • Pills to be swallowed • A liquid or tablet that dissolves under the tongue • Nose gel or sprays Medications to boost folate levels usually come as pills to be swallowed, but some versions can be delivered through a narrow, flexible tube into a vein (intravenously). Preparing for your appointment If you suspect that you have vitamin deficiency anemia, you're likely to start by seeing your family doctor or a general practitioner. However, in some cases, you may be referred to a doctor who specializes in treating blood disorders (hematologist). Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment and what to expect from your doctor. What you can do • Write down any symptoms you're experiencing, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment. • Write down key personal information, including any major stresses or recent life changes. • Make a list of all medications as well as any vitamins or supplements you're taking. • Write down questions to ask your doctor. Your time with your doctor is limited, so preparing a list of questions will help you make the most of your time together. For vitamin deficiency anemia, some basic q...

Overview Woman drinking liquid with inset of digestive system (center) and (left) detail on normal and abnormal B-12 absorption process. What is pernicious anemia? Pernicious (per-nish-uhs) anemia, one of the causes of vitamin B12 deficiency, is an autoimmune condition that prevents your body from absorbing vitamin B12. Without adequate vitamin B12, you have fewer red blood cells carrying oxygen throughout your body. You can have pernicious anemia for several years before noticing changes in your body. Left untreated, pernicious anemia can cause serious medical issues, including irreversible damage to your How does pernicious anemia affect my body? The term “pernicious” means harmful, and pernicious anemia causes harm to several body systems: • • Nervous system damage that causes muscle weakness, numbness or tingling in your hands and feet, memory loss and dementia. • Heart problems that can cause • Weakness and fatigue. Who is affected by pernicious anemia? Pernicious anemia typically affects people aged 60 to 80 of Northern European descent. Pernicious anemia is estimated to affect 151 in 100,000 people in the United States. Symptoms and Causes What are pernicious anemia symptoms? Generally speaking, the longer you go without adequate vitamin B12, the more serious your symptoms are. Early on, people may have mild symptoms they may think are caused by other common conditions. Examples include: • • Lightheadedness when standing up or with exertion. • Loss of appetite. • Pa...

Vitamin B12 is important for many different chemical reactions in the body. It performs several important functions, including helping with the synthesis of DNA. It plays a key role in the brain and nervous system, and it’s also necessary for production of healthy red blood cells. So, it’s not surprising that symptoms result when there isn’t enough vitamin B12 in the body. Vitamin B12 must be taken in through the diet through foods of animal origin. Some of the cells lining the inside of the stomach make a special protein, called intrinsic factor, that binds to vitamin B12. It helps transport the vitamin to the small intestine, where it can be absorbed into the blood and eventually be utilized by the body. Antibodies form against intrinsic factor and the cells that make it, causing inflammation in the stomach. Due to this inflammatory process, the cells of the stomach don’t make as much intrinsic factor as they should, and not enough vitamin B12 gets absorbed by the body, leading to the symptoms of pernicious anemia. Technically speaking, pernicious anemia just refers to a vitamin B12 deficiency due to lack of intrinsic factor (due to autoimmune gastritis). However, sometimes people use the term more broadly to refer to anemia and other problems that come from vitamin B12 deficiency from any cause. Extremely rarely, pernicious anemia can be caused by a genetic condition, in which the body can’t make intrinsic factor normally. This type is called “congenital pernicious anem...

When your body can’t make enough healthy red What Causes It? Your body needs plenty of healthy red Vitamin B-12 is a crucial part of this process. If your body doesn’t absorb enough from the food you eat, your red blood cells will be too big to travel well through your body. Because of this, your body will make less of them. And the cells that are made will die off sooner than they should. The reason this happens is often due to the lack of a Some health issues make you more likely to have PA. These include: • • Crohn’s disease • Having part or all of your • Some medicines, like antacids or drugs that A strict Also, if someone else in your family has PA, your risk of having it goes up as well. What Are the Symptoms? PA affects people in different ways. These can be signs you have it: • • Shortness of breath • Feeling dizzy • Cold hands and feet • • Pale or yellow • Trouble with balance (for example, struggling to put on your pants or socks while you’re standing) • A burning feeling in your legs or feet. This may get worse at night • • Trouble focusing How Is It Diagnosed? Your doctor will ask about your family history. They’ll want to know your symptoms, plus what types of food you often eat and any medicines you take every day. During a Your doctor will also order blood work. This can reveal if you have a low amount of What’s the Treatment? Extra B-12 can also be prescribed as a pill, nose spray, nasal gel, or medicine you put under your tongue. Your doctor will likely al...