Severe anemia: a case report

Abstract

Anemia refers to a hemoglobin or hematocrit level lower than the age-adjusted reference range in healthy children and adults. Anemia is not a specifi c disease entity but is a condition caused by various underlying pathologic processes. The clinical effects of anemia depend on its duration and severity. When a precipitous drop in the hemoglobin or hematocrit level occurs (eg, due to massive bleeding), the clinical presentation is typically dramatic and can be fatal if the patient is not immediately treated. Even then, mortality risk is very high. We report the case of a 76-year-old woman with clinical symptoms and laboratory confirmation of severe anemia with level of hemoglobin 24 g/l, and hematocrit 0.08. Anemia was a sign of malignoma of the stomach, later patohistologicaly verifi ed gastric adenocarcinoma. Aim of management is to prevent tissue hypoxia by maintaining an adequate circulating volume and oxiform capacity. However, as shown in this case, the very rapid correction of anemia and the circulatory volume does not decrease the risk of fatal outcome

Keywords

• anemia
• gastric adenocarcinoma
• hypovolemic shock
• blood transfusion