May 26, 2012
Topics A-Z Anemia Chest Pains: can they be due to Anemia?
Chest Pains: can they be due to Anemia? |
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Dear Ask The Doctor: I am a diabetic and the Dr said I have anemia lately I have had all of a sudden severe shortness of breath to the point my middle chest hurts with a physical hurt that makes you want to cry with pain the only fix is to breath deeply in and out and just sit still till it passes could this be my heart or diabetes or from the anemia. Dear Patty: From what you have described my primary diagnosis would be that this shortness of and chest pains are occuring due to the anemia. In Anemia the hemoglobin cells are low and thus since they have the capacity to carry oxygen to the organs and the rest of the body, if the anemia is infact severe it leads to chest pains and shortness of breath due to the decreased oxygen carrying capacity of the blood. You need to recheck you complete blood count and if the hemoglobin level is very low or the symptoms are becoming worse you need to be started on iron pills. Having said this I would also like to stress that it also could be a heart problem and thus you need to get a basic ECG and lipid levels and a stress test done. I hope this helps. |
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| Last Updated ( Tuesday, 31 May 2011 ) |
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