Which term best describes anemia caused by premature destruction of red blood cells?

Which term best describes anemia caused by premature destruction of red blood cells?

• A. Aplastic
• B. Iron-deficiency
• C. Megaloblastic
• D. Hemolytic

Answer: (D)

Premature destruction of red blood cells is described as hemolytic anemia. When red cells are broken down faster than the bone marrow can replace them, their lifespan is shortened from about 120 days to a much shorter time. The body compensates by producing more young red cells (reticulocytosis), and the breakdown products show up in the blood and urine. Lab clues often include elevated indirect bilirubin and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) with decreased haptoglobin, and patients may have signs like jaundice or splenomegaly. Hemolysis can be caused by intrinsic problems in the red cells (such as membrane, enzyme, or hemoglobin defects) or by external causes (immune-mediated destruction, infections, mechanical destruction, etc.). The other options represent problems of production or maturation rather than destruction: aplastic anemia is bone marrow failure with reduced production of all blood cells; iron-deficiency anemia results from insufficient iron for hemoglobin synthesis; megaloblastic anemia arises from impaired DNA synthesis leading to large, immature cells.

Premature destruction of red blood cells is described as hemolytic anemia. When red cells are broken down faster than the bone marrow can replace them, their lifespan is shortened from about 120 days to a much shorter time. The body compensates by producing more young red cells (reticulocytosis), and the breakdown products show up in the blood and urine. Lab clues often include elevated indirect bilirubin and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) with decreased haptoglobin, and patients may have signs like jaundice or splenomegaly. Hemolysis can be caused by intrinsic problems in the red cells (such as membrane, enzyme, or hemoglobin defects) or by external causes (immune-mediated destruction, infections, mechanical destruction, etc.). The other options represent problems of production or maturation rather than destruction: aplastic anemia is bone marrow failure with reduced production of all blood cells; iron-deficiency anemia results from insufficient iron for hemoglobin synthesis; megaloblastic anemia arises from impaired DNA synthesis leading to large, immature cells.