National Clinical Assessment (NCA) Cellular Practice Exam

Blood loss is one of the primary causes of anemia, which can occur due to various factors. Trauma is a major contributor because it can lead to significant hemorrhaging, either externally or internally, resulting in a reduction of red blood cells in circulation. When blood volume decreases due to acute injury or surgical procedures, the body can become unable to produce sufficient red blood cells to replace what has been lost, leading to anemia.

Anemia resulting from trauma can happen rapidly, often requiring immediate medical intervention to address both the blood loss and the underlying cause of the trauma. This loss can lead to symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, and pallor, which are characteristic of anemia.

Other causes, such as vitamin B12 deficiency, sickle cell disease, and folic acid deficiency, can also lead to anemia, but they do not directly result from blood loss. Vitamin B12 and folic acid deficiencies lead to an inadequate production of red blood cells from a nutritional deficiency perspective, while sickle cell disease involves a genetic defect that affects hemoglobin within red blood cells, causing them to become misshapen and break down prematurely. Thus, while they are important causes of anemia, they do not relate to the concept of blood loss in the same immediate and direct