pernicious anemia
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A specific type of chronic, progressive anemia that primarily affects older adults. It is characterized by the body's inability to absorb sufficient vitamin B12 due to a lack of intrinsic factor, a protein normally secreted by the stomach lining.
Usage
- Pernicious anemia is a medical condition and is used as a countable noun. It is often discussed in medical, clinical, or health-related contexts.
- Example: "The patient's fatigue and neurological symptoms were eventually diagnosed as pernicious anemia."
Examples
- Noun:
- Untreated pernicious anemia can lead to serious neurological complications.
- Treatment for pernicious anemia typically involves regular vitamin B12 injections.
- A blood test can confirm a diagnosis of pernicious anemia.
Advanced Usage
- The term pernicious itself means "having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way," which describes the progressive nature of this disease.
- The condition is sometimes abbreviated informally in medical notes as "PA."
Variants and Related Words
- Pernicious anaemia: The British English spelling variant.
- Addison's anemia: An older, synonymous term.
- Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia: A broader category that includes pernicious anemia (which is one specific cause of B12 deficiency).
- Megaloblastic anemia: A descriptive term for the type of blood cell abnormality seen in pernicious anemia and other B12/folate deficiencies.
Synonyms
- Addison's anemia
- Biermer's anemia
Notes on Meaning
- It is critical to understand that pernicious anemia refers specifically to anemia caused by a lack of intrinsic factor, leading to B12 malabsorption. It is not a general term for any severe anemia. Other causes of vitamin B12 deficiency (e.g., dietary lack, surgical removal of part of the stomach) are not classified as pernicious anemia.
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)