Symptoms Of Acquired Hemolytic Anemia

Sometimes, a headache is just a headache, but what if it’s something more serious? All too often, dire medical conditions begin to manifest with small, seemingly-harmless symptoms. Acquired hemolytic anemia, a condition that causes the untimely destruction and removal of red blood cells from the bloodstream, may begin with innocuous symptoms. The result of some other disease or infection acquired hemolytic anemia shares many symptoms with more well-known forms of anemia, but may also present symptoms that seem strangely out of place for a condition that primarily affects blood cells. Learn more about these symptoms now.

Symptoms Shared With Other Forms Of Anemia

Initially, acquired hemolytic anemia may be difficult to definitively diagnose, as it has many symptoms shared with other forms of anemia. As will all other forms of anemia, those suffering from acquired hemolytic anemia will feel general, lasting fatigue. This tiredness is a direct result of dying red blood cells, as a low red blood cell count means the body does not have enough cells to carry the required oxygen to the various organs and tissues. This low red blood cell count may also manifest as dizziness, headaches, or shortness of breath, which are all symptoms shared across all types of anemia. Additionally, a lack of red blood cells can lead to more prominent symptoms, including chest pains, pale skin, and a noticeable coldness in the extremities as the body struggles to deliver enough oxygen to all of the body’s systems.

Heart Murmurs

A more serious, but unseen, symptom of acquired hemolytic anemia is the development of a heart murmur. This condition is generally described as an unusual sound, ranging from faint to loud, between regular heartbeats. Medical professionals have reported these murmurs as a swishing or whooshing sound. Depending on the loudness of the murmur, it may be challenging to detect. For those suffering from acquired hemolytic anemia, heart murmurs occur because of the absence of red blood cells. Because red blood cells carry much-needed oxygen to the organs and tissue of the body, a lack of these blood cells forces the heart to work harder to move oxygenated blood to throughout the body, and thus, causes the murmur.