In this week's episode, we explore what happens when the body can't supply enough oxygen to cells. This condition, called anemia, is caused by a drop in red blood cells or the oxygen-carrying hemoglobin inside them. We dive into some of the risks, causes, complications, and treatments associated with anemia.

References:

• Johnson RL, Rubenstein SD. Anemia in the emergency department: evaluation and treatment. Emergency Medicine Practice. 2013 Nov;15(11):1-5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24716235/
• Garcia‐Casal MN, Dary O, Jefferds ME, Pasricha SR. Diagnosing anemia: Challenges selecting methods, addressing underlying causes, and implementing actions at the public health level. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 2023 Jun;1524(1):37-50. https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.14996
• Randi ML, Bertozzi I, Santarossa C, Cosi E, Lucente F, Bogoni G, Biagetti G, Fabris F. Prevalence and causes of anemia in hospitalized patients: impact on diseases outcome. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2020 Mar 30;9(4):950. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm9040950
• World Health Organization. Mental Disorders. Updated September 30, 2025. Accessed February 25, 2026.  https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-disorders 
• World Health Organization. Malaria. Updated December 4, 2025. Accessed February 25, 2025. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malaria
• Sung H, Ferlay J, Siegel RL, Laversanne M, Soerjomataram I, Jemal A, Bray F. Global cancer statistics 2020: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. CA: a Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 2021 May;71(3):209-49. https://doi.org/10.3322/caac.21660
• Klip IT, Comin-Colet J, Voors AA, Ponikowski P, Enjuanes C, Banasiak W, Lok DJ, Rosentryt P, Torrens A, Polonski L, Van Veldhuisen DJ. Iron deficiency in chronic heart failure: an international pooled analysis. American heart journal. 2013 Apr 1;165(4):575-82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ahj.2013.01.017
• Vos T, Flaxman AD, Naghavi M, Lozano R, Michaud C, Ezzati M, Shibuya K, Salomon JA, Abdalla S, Aboyans V, Abraham J. Years lived with disability (YLDs) for 1160 sequelae of 289 diseases and injuries 1990–2010: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. The Lancet. 2012 Dec 15;380(9859):2163-96. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61729-2
• Kansagara D, Dyer E, Englander H, Fu R, Freeman M, Kagen D. Treatment of anemia in patients with heart disease: a systematic review. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2013 Dec 3;159(11):746-57. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-159-11-201312030-00007

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