pernicious anaemia
Definition
- Noun:
- A specific type of chronic, progressive blood disorder: Pernicious anaemia is a medical condition characterized by a gradual and long-lasting decrease in healthy red blood cells. It is primarily caused by the body's inability to absorb vitamin B12 due to a deficiency of intrinsic factor, a protein produced in the stomach.
Usage
- Pernicious anaemia is used as a medical term to diagnose and describe a specific autoimmune condition. It is distinct from other forms of anaemia.
- It functions as a compound noun and is typically used in singular form.
Examples
- Noun:
- The patient was diagnosed with pernicious anaemia after experiencing severe fatigue and neurological symptoms.
- A lack of intrinsic factor is the primary cause of pernicious anaemia.
- Treatment for pernicious anaemia usually involves lifelong vitamin B12 injections.
Advanced Usage
- The term is often abbreviated in medical contexts as "PA".
- Historically, the disease was called "pernicious" (meaning having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way) because it was often fatal before the discovery of effective treatment with vitamin B12.
Variants and Related Words
- Pernicious anemia: The American English spelling, using "anemia".
- Addison's anaemia: An older, synonymous term for the same condition.
- Biermer's anaemia: Another historical name for the condition.
- Megaloblastic anaemia: A broader category of anaemias characterized by enlarged red blood cell precursors, which includes pernicious anaemia as one specific cause.
Synonyms
- Addison's anaemia (medical, historical)
- Biermer's anaemia (medical, historical)
- Vitamin B12 deficiency anaemia (due to lack of intrinsic factor): This is a more descriptive synonym that explains the cause.
Notes on Different Meanings
- The word "pernicious" alone means "having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way." In "pernicious anaemia," it specifically modifies "anaemia" to denote this particular, historically severe form of the disease. The term is not generally applied to other types of anaemia.
Noun
-
a chronic progressive anemia of older adults; thought to result from a lack of intrinsic factor (a substance secreted by the stomach that is responsible for the absorption of vitamin B12)
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