Anemia is one of the diseases that come in a variety of forms. It may be linked to chronic iron deficiency or vitamin deficiency, be the result of a chronic disease, etc. Still, whatever its nature might be, it is one of the most common health issues in the elderly (Macedo, Dias, Camara, & Antunes, 2017). However, even though anemia is often viewed as part and parcel of aging, it does not necessarily develop in all seniors. Seeing that in older people, anemia often leads to the development of more serious conditions, one must explore the avenues for addressing the issue in a manner as efficient as possible to sustain the patient’s condition at a satisfying level.
Difference Between an Elderly Patient and Other Age Groups
Although there is no primary difference in which the disease manifests itself in elderly patients and young ones, senior members of the population with anemia are much more prone to developing comorbid health problems than the young ones (Macedo et al., 2017). For senior citizens, anemia is nearly inevitable, whereas, in adolescents and young adults, the problem is rather rare. It is also noteworthy that the reasons for the disease to develop are different in older and younger population in most cases. For instance, in children and infants, anemia is typically caused by iron deficiency, whereas in the elderly, the problem is triggered by the lack of Vitamin B12, although iron deficiency may also be a possible cause (Macedo et al., 2017).
Pathology of Anemia in the Elderly
After erythroid precursors are developed in the bone marrow, they gradually mature to the stage where they turn into erythrocytes. Without the nucleus, erythrocytes do not have a Krebs cycle and, therefore, cannot generate as a result of respiration. Therefore, the generation process depends heavily on the glycolysis processes, especially on the Embden-Meyerhof type, which is the most common one. Seeing that the production of enzymes that are necessary for the proper function of glycolytic pathways is slackened down significantly with age, elderly patients are predisposed to the development of anemia to a greater degree than young ones. One must admit, though, that, due to the slow development of the problem, the patient’s body may produce a response that will help manage anemia successfully (Oberoi & Pratap, 2015).
Comorbidities
Among the comorbid issues that elderly patients with anemia may have, one should mention hypotension first. The reason for the identified comorbidity to occur in patients is rather simple. Seeing that anemia implies that the production of red blood cells is hampered, the blood tension drops immediately as soon as anemia is developed. Therefore, hypotension must be addressed accordingly when managing the needs of anemia patients.
Furthermore, the levels of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) secretion are increased significantly. As a result, anemic patients are under the threat of having the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH). SIADH manifests itself in numerous symptoms, including muscle pain, tremor, ataxia, and the related symptoms (Raje, Biradar, Reddy, Kabra, & Panicker, 2015).
Conclusion
Seeing that in the elderly, anemia is not only much more frequent than it is in young people but also fraught with much more serious outcomes and comorbidities, it is imperative to introduce the tools that would allow identifying the problem at the earliest stages of its development and designing the approach for managing it efficiently. Particularly, the means of keeping the patient’s health rate at the required high level and preventing the disease from triggering more serious concerns should be suggested. As long as a nurse has control over the progress of anemia, improving patient’s outcomes remains a possibility.
References
Macedo, B. J., Dias, P. P. I., Camara, H., & Antunes, C. M. F. (2017). Anemia in the elderly: Neuropsychiatric repercussions. Advances in Aging Research, 6(1), 11-16.
Oberoi, T., & Pratap, A. (2015). Prevalence of anemia in pediatric age group patients and its co-relation with socio-demographic factors in patients presenting at department of pediatrics at Rohilkhand Medical College and Hospital, Bareillly, U. P. Journal of Evolution of Medical and Dental Sciences, 4(34), 5877-5882. doi:10.14260/jemds/2015/860.
Raje, V., Biradar, S., Reddy, M., Kabra, M., & Panicker, S. (2015). Neuroendocrine Disturbances Following Head Injuries. Journal of Evolution of Medical and Dental Sciences, 4(43), 7567-7575, doi:10.14260/jemds/2015/1099.