Pernicious anemia is a form of anemia discovered in the mid-19th century, commonly credited to the UK physician Thomas Addison for work in 1849, despite the facts that he was neither the first to describe nor name it (Lichtman et al. 563). A clinician by the name of Biermer officially named the disease, and it has been researched in depth while treated in various ways since this time. This work examines various aspects of pernicious anemia, considering fundamental traits of the disorder, mechanisms, symptoms, treatment, and other clinical work. Overall it is evident that while significant progress has been made in understanding the disease, additional work and development is required to better understand and treat it.
Pernicious Anemia According to USNLM (par. 1), “anemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood …show more content…
The existence of other diseases can affect an individual’s risk as well, such as the presence of Addison disease, chronic thyroiditis, Graves disease, hypoparathyroidism, hypopituitarism, myasthenia gravis, secondary amenorrhea, type 1 diabetes, testicular dysfunction, or vitiligo (USNLM pars. 2-3). Symptoms of the disorder can range from mild to moderate, and can include the desire to eat ice or non-food items, digestive issues (such as diarrhea or constipation), general fatigue or a lack of energy, increase ease of light-headedness, reduced appetite, pale skin, difficulty concentrating, shortness of breath, and bleeding gums or swollen areas in mouths. Basic exams and tests which are commonly done to confirm the presence of the disease may include a bone marrow examination, a complete blood count (CBC), a reticulocyte count, a Schilling test, an LDH level measurement, a methylmalonic acid (MMA) level measurement, a vitamin B12 level analysis, and measurements of levels of antibodies against intrinsic factor proteins or cells. The
Pernicious Anemia According to USNLM (par. 1), “anemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood …show more content…
The existence of other diseases can affect an individual’s risk as well, such as the presence of Addison disease, chronic thyroiditis, Graves disease, hypoparathyroidism, hypopituitarism, myasthenia gravis, secondary amenorrhea, type 1 diabetes, testicular dysfunction, or vitiligo (USNLM pars. 2-3). Symptoms of the disorder can range from mild to moderate, and can include the desire to eat ice or non-food items, digestive issues (such as diarrhea or constipation), general fatigue or a lack of energy, increase ease of light-headedness, reduced appetite, pale skin, difficulty concentrating, shortness of breath, and bleeding gums or swollen areas in mouths. Basic exams and tests which are commonly done to confirm the presence of the disease may include a bone marrow examination, a complete blood count (CBC), a reticulocyte count, a Schilling test, an LDH level measurement, a methylmalonic acid (MMA) level measurement, a vitamin B12 level analysis, and measurements of levels of antibodies against intrinsic factor proteins or cells. The