Learn about Anorexia Nervosa from Cleveland Clinic. A life-threatening eating disorder defined as self-starvation to maintain an abnormally ...NowschedulingCOVID-19vaccinesforages12+andthirddosesforeligiblepatientsScheduleyourappointmentCOVID-19vaccineFAQsGoingtoaClevelandCliniclocation?2visitors(ages18+)nowalloweddailyMasksrequiredforpatientsandvisitors(evenifyou'revaccinated)Home/HealthLibrary/Disease&ConditionsAnorexiaNervosaAnorexianervosaismostcommonlyseeninadolescentsandyoungadultfemales,althoughitalsooccursinmalesandisincreasinginnumbersinchildrenandolderadults.Appointments&AccessContactUsOverviewSymptomsandCausesDiagnosisandTestsManagementandTreatmentPreventionOutlook/PrognosisLivingWithResourcesAnorexiaNervosaOverviewSymptomsandCausesDiagnosisandTestsManagementandTreatmentPreventionOutlook/PrognosisLivingWithResourcesBackToTopOverviewWhatisanorexianervosa?Anorexianervosaisalife-threateningeatingdisorder.Itisdefinedasself-starvationinordertomaintainanabnormallylowbodyweight.Lowbodyweightisdescribedasweighinglessthantheminimumthatisconsiderednormalfortheperson’sage,sex,stageofgrowthanddevelopment,andphysicalhealth.Individualswithanorexianervosahaveanintensefearofgainingweightorbecomingfatandhaveadistortedself-imageoftheirbodyweightandshape.Extremeweightlossinpeoplewithanorexianervosacanleadtodangeroushealthproblemsandevendeath.Whogetsanorexianervosa?Anorexianervosacanoccurinpeopleofanyage,sex,race,gender,ethnicity,economicstatus,aswellasindividualsofallbodyweights,shapesandsizes.Anorexianervosaismostcommonlyseeninadolescentsandyoungadultfemales,althoughitalsooccursinmalesandisincreasinginnumbersinchildrenandolderadults.Whatarethehealthharmsofanorexianervosa?Notgettingenoughnutrients(malnutrition)andstarvationaffectsnearlyeverysystemofthebody.Effectsontheheart.Slowheartrate(bradycardia),lowbloodpressure(hypotension)andorthostatichypotensionarecommoneffectsofstarvation.Thesecomplicationsincreasetheriskofventriculararrhythmiaandsuddencardiacdeath.Theheartitselfc