Treatment of anaemia in old age

The treatment of anaemia in old age is basically based on the cause of the disease. Thus, deficiencies can easily be compensated by the administration of appropriate preparations. In the case of anaemia due to iron deficiency, iron tablets should be taken for several months.

In addition, the absorption of iron through food can be improved by using more iron-containing food. These include meat, fish, lentils, peas, spinach, beans, etc. In addition, care should be taken to ensure a sufficient intake and, if necessary, medicinal intake of vitamin B12 and folic acid.

If anaemia in old age is based on a chronic disease, it should be adjusted as best as possible. In the case of chronic bleeding, the sources of bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract should be located and closed by means of a gastroscopy or colonoscopy. If the anaemia is particularly severe, an immediate blood transfusion may be necessary.

If anaemia in old age is due to poor kidney function, medication can also be given to increase blood production. A blood transfusion is needed if the anemia is particularly pronounced. There are two reasons for this: there may be a sudden (acute) severe loss of blood.

This may require a blood transfusion even before the blood values measurably deteriorate. Therefore, the consideration of a blood transfusion for acute bleeding depends on both the clinical condition and the haemoglobin value. In the case of severe symptoms such as significantly increased heart rate, drop in blood pressure, shortness of breath, but also changes in the heart activity in the ECG, a blood transfusion may be necessary from a haemoglobin value of 10 g/dl (standard value 12-13 g/dl).

From a haemoglobin value of 8 g/dl, a blood transfusion is also necessary without symptoms in cases of previous diseases of the cardiovascular system. A blood transfusion should always be performed if the hemoglobin value is below 6 g/dl. The same limits also apply to chronic blood loss, which usually goes unnoticed and therefore rarely shows symptoms.

Duration and prognosis of anemia in old age

How long an anaemia lasts depends on the elimination of the cause. In the case of acute bleeding, a quick recovery can take place if the bleeding is quickly stopped. Particularly in the case of chronic anaemia in old age, recovery takes longer, but it is often easy to manage with a targeted iron intake through diet and the administration of iron by medication.

In the case of chronic bleeding, it is also important that the cause is found and treated. If the anemia in old age is caused by a benign disease, the prognosis is good if the disease is treated quickly. The prognosis for malignant diseases (tumour in the digestive tract, malignant disturbance of blood formation) depends strongly on the individual disease.

Anemia can become dangerous due to various mechanisms. For example, unnoticed anaemia in old age can lead to complications such as a decrease in performance, reduced bone density, increased number of falls and thus to secondary injuries such as bone fractures. A bone fracture is not a life-threatening disease in itself, but it can lead to a long hospital stay and bedriddenness with the risk of permanent care dependency and an increased risk of infection.

Chronic bleeding can also cause permanent damage to brain function and thus become dangerous over a longer period of time. Another type of danger is posed by malignant diseases that cause anaemia in old age. These should be treated as soon as possible in order to obtain the best possible prognosis and to minimize the risk.