In most cases, a mild form of anemia is not detected until a laboratory test is performed.
However, the following symptoms and complaints may indicate iron deficiency anemia:
Leading symptoms
- Paleness of the skin and mucous membranes.
- Exertional dyspnea (shortness of breath under exertion).
- Exercise tachycardia (rapid heartbeat under stress).
- Fatigue and lassitude (often mild in children).
- Dizziness
- Decreased physical and mental performance
Other possible symptoms:
- Bone pain due to infiltration of the bone marrow (leukemia, lymphoma, neuroblastoma), sickle cell disease.
- Icterus (occurrence of scleral icterus (yellowing of the sclera/white part of the eye): bilirubin concentration > 2 mg/dl [34.2 µmol/l], cutaneous icterus (yellowing of the skin): > 3 mg/dl [51.3 µmol/l]).
- Splenomegaly (splenomegaly).
- Hemoglobinuria (excretion of hemoglobin (the red blood pigment) by the kidneys).
Anemia in old age
Other possible symptoms:
- Anorexia (loss of appetite).
- Worsening of heart failure (cardiac insufficiency).
- Cognitive performance decline
- Vertigo (dizziness)
- Delayed wound healing
- Deterioration of orthostasis (ability of the human body to adjust blood pressure and thus the circulatory system in an upright position).
- Increased risk of falls
- Reduced quality of life
- Increased mortality (death rate)
