Eat a nutrient-rich diet, get regular health checkups, and support public health efforts like malaria prevention and food fortification—because preventing anaemia starts with both personal and community action.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of anaemia is a combination of clinical presentation and laboratory
Laboratory tests for anaemia generally include the following:
- Packed cell volume (PCV) estimation: involves spinning your blood in a tube to see how much of it is red blood cells
- Complete blood count (CBC): also called full blood count, this test estimates the levels of individual components of your blood, including white blood cells, red blood cells, platelets, reticulocytes, haemoglobin, differential cells, etc.
- Peripheral blood smear: involves using a microscope to examine your blood for its colour, shape, size
- Haemoglobin estimation
- Serum iron estimation
- Serum bilirubin
- Haemoglobin electrophoresis
- Reticulocyte count
- Urinalysis
- Liver function tests
- Renal function test
- Bone marrow biopsy
Treatment
Treatment for anaemia depends on the cause or type of anaemia. Treatments for common forms of anaemia include:
- Iron-deficiency anaemia: iron supplements and dietary changes.
- Vitamin deficiency anaemia: vitamins and dietary supplements.
- Thalassemia: folic acid supplements, iron chelation, and, for some people, blood transfusions and bone marrow transplants.
- Anaemia of chronic disease: treatment of underlying disease.
- Aplastic anaemia: blood transfusion or bone marrow transplant.
- Sickle cell anaemia: oxygen therapy, pain relief medication, and intravenous fluids: antibiotics, folic acid supplements, blood transfusions, and hydroxyurea may be added.
- Haemolytic anaemia: treatment of the underlying cause.
