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Today, 22 November 2009

› SACP attacks Malema

› JZ hails Miss World effect

Yesterday, 21 November 2009

› SACP attacks Malema

› Match-fixing stuns Europe

› JZ hails Miss World effect

› Henry offers replay

› No armchair ride for Boks

Question

Please can I have some information about anaemia?

Answer

Anaemia results from a decrease in red blood cells in the blood stream, or from a decrease in the haemoglobin content of the blood. Both are involved in the transport of oxygen to the body tissues.

This decrease can be caused by blood loss, impaired production of red blood cells or haemoglobin, increased destruction of red blood cells or a combination of these problems.

Anaemia is not so much a diagnosis as a complex of signs and symptoms, and the underlying cause of the anaemia must be found before it is treated.

In women one of the most common causes of anaemia is excessive blood loss through menstruation. Anaemia in older men or women who are past the menopause can be the first sign of cancer of the colon. Anaemia also results from various problems with the bone marrow, including the leukaemias.

There are so many different types of anaemia with so many different causes that it is impossible to list them all in one question.