Iron-deficiency anemia is anemia caused by a lack of iron. Anemia is defined as a decrease in the number of red blood cells or the amount of hemoglobin in ...Iron-deficiencyanemiaFromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopediaJumptonavigationJumptosearchMedicalconditionIron-deficiencyanemiaOthernamesIron-deficiencyanaemia,FeDARedbloodcellsSpecialtyHematologySymptomsFeelingtired,weakness,shortnessofbreath,confusion,pallor[1]ComplicationsHeartfailure,arrhythmias,frequentinfections[2]CausesIrondeficiency[3]DiagnosticmethodBloodtests[4]TreatmentDietarychanges,medications,surgery[3]MedicationIronsupplements,vitaminC,bloodtransfusions[5]Frequency1.48billion(2015)[6]Deaths54,200(2015)[7]Iron-deficiencyanemiaisanemiacausedbyalackofiron.[3]Anemiaisdefinedasadecreaseinthenumberofredbloodcellsortheamountofhemoglobinintheblood.[3]Whenonsetisslow,symptomsareoftenvaguesuchasfeelingtired,weak,shortofbreath,orhavingdecreasedabilitytoexercise.[1]Anemiathatcomesonquicklyoftenhasmoreseveresymptoms,including:confusion,feelinglikeoneisgoingtopassoutorincreasedthirst.[1]Anemiaistypicallysignificantbeforeapersonbecomesnoticeablypale.[1]Childrenwithirondeficiencyanemiamayhaveproblemswithgrowthanddevelopment.[3]Theremaybeadditionalsymptomsdependingontheunderlyingcause.[1]Iron-deficiencyanemiaiscausedbybloodloss,insufficientdietaryintake,orpoorabsorptionofironfromfood.[3]Sourcesofbloodlosscanincludeheavyperiods,childbirth,uterinefibroids,stomachulcers,coloncancer,andurinarytractbleeding.[8]Poorabsorptionofironfromfoodmayoccurasaresultofanintestinaldisordersuchasinflammatoryboweldiseaseorceliacdisease,orsurgerysuchasagastricbypass.[8]Inthedevelopingworld,parasiticworms,malaria,andHIV/AIDSincreasetheriskofirondeficiencyanemia.[9]Diagnosisisconfirmedbybloodtests.[4]Irondeficiencyanemiacanbepreventedbyeatingadietcontainingsufficientamountsofironorbyironsupplementation.[10]Foodshighinironincludemeat,nuts,spinach,andfoodsmadewithiron-fortifiedflour.[11]Treatmentmayincludedietarychangesanddealingwithunderlyingca