| Evaluation of the anemic patient is best
served by a systemic evaluation of the clinical and
laboratory findings together. First, is the patient
truly anemic? Second, is the anemia acquired or
inherited? Third is there evidence for blood loss?
Fourth is there evidence for nutritional deficiency or
malabsorption? Fifth, is there evidence for hemolysis?
Sixth is there evidence for toxic exposure or drug
ingestion that could cause bone marrow depression and
anemia? Finally, dose the patient have chronic
inflammatory disease, renal insufficiency, or cancer,
each of which is associated with secondary mild anemias,
the anemia of chronic disease
|
