Anemia

Anemia means having a less than normal amount of red blood cells. The ability to carry oxygen is reduced. Anemia is noted by the hemoglobin content of the red cells and by red cell size.

Symptoms

Depending on its severity, anemia may cause one or more symptoms. These include fatigue, difficult breathing during activity, dizziness, headache, insomnia, and pale skin and mucous membranes. Loss of hunger, unsettled stomach, irregular heart beats and murmurs also occur.

Risk Factors

Chronic anemia in the absence of underlying heart disease produces surprisingly few symptoms, which may consist of easy fatigability, mild dyspnea, and occasionally palpitations and cardiac awareness.
 
Anemia, even when severe, rarely causes heart failure or angina pectoris, and when these are present, it is likely that the high cardiac output is superimposed on some specific cardiac abnormality, such as valvular or ischemic heart disease.

Diagnosis

Iron deficiency is the most common cause. Blood tests are done to find the type of anemia and the cause.