Aplastic anemia is bone marrow failure that stops production of red cells, white cells, and platelets all at once. An immune attack damages stem cells in the marrow, causing fatigue, shortness of breath, and low blood counts across the board, unlike iron-deficiency anemia which only affects red cells.
Aplastic anemia is caused by the bone marrow not being able to produce enough red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. This is also known as pancytopenia. There's something you need to know right up front. The pathophysiology really matters when you're in nursing school. The pathophysiology is the foundation for everything else that you need to know about any med surge disorder, and knowing it will help you to critically think better on your nursing school exams. Aplastic anemia is caused by an immune where the immune system attacks these stem cells, leaving them damaged and unable to create red blood cells, the white blood cells and platelets. There is thought to be damage done to the sun's stem cells that are found inside the bone marrow that help produce these cells in the platelet. Since there is a problem with the bone marrow causing it to be unable to produce enough new blood cells, this leaves less healthy red blood cells to circulate oxygen to the body, causing anemia. Remember, less red blood cells, less hematocrit equals less oxygen. Now, some common symptoms of aplastic anemia are lethargy, shortness of breath and an increased heart rate because the body is working in overdrive trying to get oxygen to the organs and the tissues. And similar to iron deficiency anemia, the patient may have very pale skin because the actual red blood cells themselves are pale due to that decrease in hemoglobin, so their complexion will be pale as well. They will also have a decreased hemoglobin level, red blood cell blood cell count and platelet level because the bone marrow isn't able to keep up with the production of any of those either. Now remember, in aplastic anemia, the problem is in the bone marrow, so it will affect more than just those red blood cells. This is a key difference between aplastic anemia and iron deficiency anemia. In aplastic anemia, the problem is in the bone marrow, so it affects more than just the red blood cells. It also makes the white blood cell count low and it makes the platelet well, which is called thrombocytopenia. But with iron deficiency anemia, on the other hand, it primarily affects the red blood cells simply because there's not enough iron in the body to make them. Now, if you want to learn pathophysiology faster in nursing school, check out this video here where I give you my top tips for studying patho easier in nursing school. And if you're a nursing SOS member, be sure to download the med surg study guides that we have for you. Inside the community and I'd love to hear what video top you want to see next. So leave those in the comments and I will make a list. And as always my friend, go become the nurse that God created only you to be and I will see you over there in that next video.
