Iron Deficiency Anemia
Iron deficiency anemia is the most common type of anemia in the world and as the name suggests, it is due to insufficient iron in the body. The causes for it are multiple and include increased utilization such as in pregnancy, poor diet, malabsorption, gastrectomy and blood loss due to menorrhagia or colorectal cancer. The patient has the classic symptoms of anemia which are pallor of skin and conjunctiva, weakness, fatigue and dyspneoa. Clinical features specific to this type of anemia are koilonychia, angular cheilosis, atrophic glossitis and pica. Diagnosis is made based on CBC which shows microcytic, hypochromic RBCs and iron profile which shows decreased serum iron, ferritin, % transferrin saturation and increased total iron binding capacity. The management for this is oral administration of ferrous sulphate or ferrous gluconate.