ANSWER
Affecting about 30% of the world’s population, iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) is a common worldwide health concern with more incidence among women and children. GI bleeding, female menstruation, low dietary iron intake, and poor iron absorption define the main causes of IDA. Good management of IDA is to restore iron supplies and normalise haemoglobin levels, therefore improving outcomes in pregnancy and chronic diseases and lowering morbidity.
Article Synopsis: A thorough review of IDA is given in the paper “Iron deficiency anaemia: pathophysiology, assessment, practical management” together with discussion of its pathogenesis, diagnosis techniques, and management options. It underlines the need of finding fundamental causes, including nutritional inadequacies or gastrointestinal bleeding, and lists treatment choices including intravenous and oral iron supplementation. To guarantee best patient outcomes, the paper also emphasises the need of tracking therapy efficacy and handling possible adverse effects.
Link to Article: Pathophysiology, evaluation, pragmatic treatment for iron deficient anaemia
Disease Process Analysis: IDA results from insufficient iron availability to satisfy bodily needs, therefore lowering haemoglobin synthesis and red blood cell oxygen-carrying capacity. Increased iron loss (e.g., bleeding), lowered iron intake, or poor absorption can all cause this insufficiency. The body responds by boosting cardiac output and spreading blood flow to essential organs; yet, extended insufficiency can lead to symptoms including cognitive impairment, weakness, and tiredness.
Advanced practice nurses (APNs) in diagnosis and management of the disorder depend on a knowledge of the pathophysiology of IDA. Early intervention—which is crucial to avoid consequences including cardiovascular strain and developmental delays in children—is made possible by the identification of risk factors and symptom recognition. APNs are very important in teaching patients about dietary changes and adherence to supplements, therefore enhancing the results of their treatment.
Three Key Points:
Effective care depends on the underlying aetiology of IDA being known. To customise suitable treatments, APNs should do extensive assessments including food analyses and searches for possible blood loss sources.
Management techniques should be customised depending on the degree of anaemia, patient tolerance, and particular requirement. For moderate cases, options include oral iron pills; for those unable of tolerating oral forms or with major deficits, intravenous iron.
Assessing treatment efficacy and adherence depends on consistent monitoring of haemoglobin and ferritin levels. To guarantee appropriate results, APNs should also be alert regarding possible side effects and patient compliance.
APNs have ethical, cultural, and social implications to take into account cultural eating habits that could influence iron consumption and deal with possible obstacles to treatment adherence including socioeconomic elements restricting access to supplements. By means of culturally relevant education and tools, patient involvement and adherence to treatment recommendations can be improved.
Reference: Kumar, A., Sharma, E., Marley, A., Samaan, M. A., & Brookes, M. J. 2022 Pathophysiology, diagnosis, pragmatic management: iron deficiency anaemia. BMJ Open Gastroenterology, 9(1), e000759. https://bmjopengastro.bmj.com/content/9/1/e000759
QUESTION
Endocrine and Hematology Diseases
Search for a recent journal article or an article from a professional or public health source in one of the following areas:
· Diabetes
· Thyroid disease
· Iron deficiency anemia.
· Pernicious anemia
· Folate deficiency
Consider how the information in the article is important to your future role as an advanced practice nurse in education, administration, or informatics. Respond in a minimum to the prompt above in a minimum of 250 words. Support your response with 1 scholarly reference.
· Summarize the article and provide a link to it.
· Analyze the disease process.
· Explain how the physiologic process is clinically relevant or applicable.
· Based on the article, provide 3 key points you would like to share with the class. Consider any ethical, cultural, or social implications of the research that are relevant to clinical practice.