Anemia Course

Lesson 1 • Iron Metabolism and Transport

Details dietary iron absorption, transport proteins, and storage mechanisms. Directly underpins understanding of iron-deficiency anemia and iron-overload conditions.

Lesson 2 • Nutritional Cofactors for Erythropoiesis

Identifies vitamins and minerals essential for red cell production beyond iron. Prepares learners to recognize deficiency-driven anemias in clinical and community settings.

Lesson 3 • Red Blood Cell Physiology

Examines erythrocyte lifespan, hemoglobin structure, and oxygen transport. Connects normal RBC function to the pathological changes seen in anemia.

Lesson 4 • Components of Human Blood

Covers cellular and plasma constituents of blood and their functional roles. Provides the anatomical baseline needed to understand disruptions in red cell production.

Lesson 1 • Diagnostic Criteria for Anemia

Defines hemoglobin thresholds by age, sex, and physiological state. Anchors all subsequent diagnostic reasoning to evidence-based cutoff values.

Lesson 2 • Severity Grading and Clinical Impact

Applies standardized severity scales to guide urgency of intervention. Connects grade to expected symptoms, organ risk, and treatment timelines.

Lesson 3 • Reticulocyte Index and Bone Marrow Response

Interprets reticulocyte count and corrected index to assess marrow productivity. Distinguishes hypoproliferative from hyperproliferative anemia for accurate classification.

Lesson 4 • Morphological Classification System

Teaches microcytic, normocytic, and macrocytic categories using MCV and peripheral smear findings. Provides the first systematic filter for narrowing differential diagnoses.

Lesson 1 • Symptom Recognition and Onset History

Identifies cardinal symptoms of anemia and elicits onset, duration, and progression. Teaches symptom clustering to differentiate acute from chronic presentations.

Lesson 2 • Medical, Surgical, and Medication History

Reviews chronic diseases, prior surgeries, and drugs that impair erythropoiesis or cause blood loss. Builds a comprehensive risk profile for each patient.

Lesson 3 • Dietary and Nutritional History

Assesses dietary patterns, food restrictions, and malabsorption risk factors. Directly informs suspicion for iron, B12, and folate deficiency anemias.

Lesson 4 • Family and Genetic History

Elicits hereditary anemia risk through structured family history and ethnic background. Prepares learners to suspect inherited disorders before laboratory confirmation.

Lesson 1 • Confirmatory and Specialized Testing

Covers hemoglobin electrophoresis, enzyme assays, and genetic panels for complex cases. Prepares learners to order and interpret advanced diagnostics appropriately.

Lesson 2 • Iron Studies and Ferritin Panels

Interprets serum iron, TIBC, transferrin saturation, and ferritin together. Differentiates iron deficiency from anemia of chronic disease using combined indices.

Lesson 3 • Complete Blood Count Interpretation

Decodes all CBC parameters including RBC indices, RDW, and white cell counts. Establishes the primary screening tool used in every anemia workup.

Lesson 4 • Hemolysis Workup and Markers

Identifies laboratory evidence of red cell destruction through LDH, haptoglobin, and bilirubin. Guides selection of confirmatory tests for specific hemolytic disorders.

Lesson 1 • Folate Deficiency Anemia

Identifies causes of folate depletion including poor diet, pregnancy demand, and drug interference. Addresses prevention strategies and supplementation protocols.

Lesson 2 • Oral and Intravenous Iron Therapy

Compares formulations, dosing schedules, and side-effect profiles of oral and IV iron. Teaches selection criteria based on severity, tolerance, and underlying cause.

Lesson 3 • Vitamin B12 Deficiency Anemia

Covers causes ranging from pernicious anemia to dietary insufficiency and their neurological consequences. Distinguishes B12 from folate deficiency using methylmalonic acid and homocysteine.

Lesson 4 • Treatment Monitoring and Relapse Prevention

Establishes laboratory and clinical benchmarks for confirming treatment response. Designs long-term maintenance plans to prevent recurrence in high-risk patients.

Lesson 1 • Enzyme and Membrane Defect Anemias

Examines G6PD deficiency, pyruvate kinase deficiency, and hereditary spherocytosis as models. Teaches trigger avoidance, splenectomy indications, and genetic counseling needs.

Lesson 2 • Mechanisms of Hemolytic Anemia

Classifies hemolysis as intravascular or extravascular and intrinsic or extrinsic. Provides the conceptual map for navigating the broad hemolytic anemia differential.

Lesson 3 • Autoimmune and Acquired Hemolytic Anemias

Covers warm and cold autoimmune hemolytic anemia, drug-induced hemolysis, and TTP/HUS. Applies DAT results and clinical context to guide immunosuppressive or supportive therapy.

Lesson 4 • Thalassemia Syndromes

Distinguishes alpha and beta thalassemia by genetic basis, severity spectrum, and clinical phenotype. Guides appropriate transfusion and chelation strategies for major forms.

Lesson 1 • Anemia of Chronic Disease Pathophysiology

Explains hepcidin-driven iron sequestration and cytokine suppression of erythropoiesis in ACD. Differentiates ACD from iron deficiency using combined laboratory and clinical criteria.

Lesson 2 • Aplastic Anemia Diagnosis and Management

Defines aplastic anemia by pancytopenia and hypocellular marrow, distinguishing severe from non-severe forms. Covers immunosuppressive therapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplant indications.

Lesson 3 • Myelodysplastic Syndromes and Anemia

Introduces MDS as clonal marrow disorders causing ineffective erythropoiesis and cytopenias. Applies risk scoring to guide watchful waiting versus active treatment decisions.

Lesson 4 • Renal Anemia and Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agents

Addresses EPO deficiency in chronic kidney disease and the role of ESA therapy. Covers target hemoglobin ranges, ESA risks, and adjunct iron supplementation.

Lesson 1 • Perioperative Anemia and Patient Blood Management

Applies patient blood management principles to optimize hemoglobin before surgery and minimize transfusion. Covers preoperative optimization, intraoperative techniques, and postoperative monitoring.

Lesson 2 • Anemia in Older Adults

Identifies the triad of nutritional, chronic disease, and unexplained anemia common in elderly patients. Addresses functional decline, polypharmacy interactions, and conservative treatment goals.

Lesson 3 • Anemia in Pregnancy

Addresses physiological hemodilution, iron and folate demands, and risks of untreated anemia in pregnancy. Guides safe supplementation, monitoring, and transfusion decision-making.

Lesson 4 • Pediatric Anemia Across Age Groups

Differentiates anemia presentations from neonates through adolescents using age-specific norms. Covers nutritional, hemolytic, and inherited causes most prevalent in pediatric practice.