Anemia in Cardiac Disease Essay

Anemia and Cardiac Diseases When discussing anemia and cardiac diseases, it is common for ordinary people to have a vague understanding of what these terms mean. A persons professional bachground that has no relationship to the health care field usually define these terms as blocked arteries, hypertension or a stroke. It is very hard for one to colligate cardiac disease with anemia but as a health care student I am well aware of the risks and characteristics associated with anemia and cardiac disease. In this paper I will go in to detail about the causes, effects and reasons why anemia should be addressed in a patient with heart disease. According to Egans Fundamentals of Respiratory Care anemia can be defined as a decreased amount of red blood cells in the blood, usually below 4 x100mm for men and women (p.344). This can be caused by inadequate production of red blood cells by the bone marrow or a s ignificant amoujnt of blood loss(p.345).Blood is responsible for transporting oxygen, carbon dioxide, hormones, salts, nutrients and cells that defends the body while regulating electrolyte and acid base balance. Hemoglobin is also accounted for since it is the major factor of red blood cells. It is a protein inside the red blood cell that carries oxygen to the tissues. The normal values range from 12-16.5 g/dl for men and women so when a person is diagnosed with anemia their hemoglobin levels are usually below 13gm/dl . According to the New York Times Health Guide, Anemia can lead to secondary organ dysfunction or damage. This includes heart arrhythmia and heart failure. These issues can occur if the anemia is severe and is not treated over time. Although arrhythmias are caused by a number of reasons which include alcohol, smoking, exercising, coronary disease and heart failure, some arrhythmias are caused with no evident reason.
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