answers 2025/2026 graded A+
1. **What are four clinical characteristics of anemia?**
- Tachycardia (due to hypoxemia), pallor, dyspnea, and fatigue
2. **Which RBC indices measure the average size of red blood cells?**
- Mean corpuscular volume (MCV)
3. **Anemia can be caused by ______, ______, and ______.**
- Excessive blood loss, impaired RBC production, and increased RBC
destruction
4. **Which anemia is considered a microcytic anemia?**
- Iron-deficiency anemia
5. **Definition of anemia:**
- Anemia is a hematological disorder characterized by a reduction in the
total number of circulating RBCs and/or decreased hemoglobin (Hb)
amount or function.
6. **Complete blood count (CBC) components that relate to RBCs and their
production:**
- Microcytic anemia: MCV <80 fL; RBCs are small; examples include iron-
deficiency anemia, sideroblastic anemia, thalassemia, anemia of chronic
disease.
, - Normocytic anemia: MCV 80-99 fL; RBCs are normal; examples include
anemia of inflammation, hereditary spherocytosis, G6PD deficiency,
paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria.
- Macrocytic anemia: MCV >100 fL; RBCs are large; example: B12
deficiency (pernicious anemia), folate deficiency.
7. **What does hypochromic anemia indicate?**
- Low MCHC; RBCs have less hemoglobin and appear pale.
8. **What does normochromic anemia indicate?**
- Normal MCHC; RBCs have normal hemoglobin and appearance.
9. **What does hyperchromic anemia indicate?**
- High MCHC; RBCs contain more hemoglobin and appear a deeper red.
10. **Clinical manifestations of anemia:**
- Severe fatigue, pallor, weakness, dyspnea, dizziness; reduced RBCs
decrease blood volume, activate RAA system, cause fluid retention, and
can stress the heart.
11. **What do the terms normocytic, microcytic, and macrocytic
characterize in RBCs?**
- Their size
12. **What symptoms reflect decreased tissue oxygenation caused by
anemia?**
, - Weakness, dizziness, dyspnea, and possibly hypertension and fever
13. **True or false: Identification of anemia type involves only the size of
RBCs.**
- False; both size and color are important
14. **Which anemia is a macrocytic anemia?**
- Vitamin B12 deficiency (pernicious anemia)
15. **What lab value indicates iron stores are depleted?**
- Ferritin level
16. **Which anemias are categorized as microcytic-hypochromic?**
- Iron-deficiency anemia, sideroblastic anemia, anemia of
inflammation/chronic disease
17. **What is the most common type of anemia?**
- Iron-deficiency anemia
18. **What condition could result in iron-deficiency anemia?**
- Excessive bleeding
19. **Microcytic hypochromic anemias include:**
- Microcytic (MCV <80): small RBCs
- Hypochromic (low MCHC): pale RBCs