The facts
- #Anaemia is a top 10 disability in the world as defined by WHO
- It affects 10-15% of people in the high income countries
- It affects 40% of people in low income countries
The commonest cause is #IronDeficiency, this is due to poor diet, or in #women due to the blood loss from the #menstrual cycle.
In Europe:-
- I n 10 women have iron deficiency #anaemia
- I in 5 women have heavy menstrual bleeding, this means about 1L per year. 50% of these women have iron deficiency.
- Also – Women are 3x more likely than men to be vegetarian (most iron is in meat)
Iron deficiency causes many symptoms
- 15% of women treated for iron deficiency have previously been treated for #depression (ID cause tiredness, inability to cope, poor cognition, #brainfog etc)
- 15% of all GP consultations by women are for tiredness and fatigue
Iron tablets are one of the most prescribed drug in the UK
- About 20-30% of women stop taking the tablets due to side effects of abdominal pain or constipation.
- 25% of all emergency #gynaecology admission in the UK are due to Iron deficiency anaemia due to excess menstrual loss.
- This costs the NHS £7.6 million per annum
- 30% of all patients admitted to hospital have anaemia at admission. These patients spend longer in hospital and twice as likely to die following admission
- You can treat #irondeficiency in 15 minutes with an #ironinfusion
