Iron-deficiency anemia

1. Big picture

Iron-deficiency anemia is the classic microcytic, hypochromic anemia. In the exam, when you see:

fatigue + pallor + low MCV + low ferritin ± pica/koilonychia/glossitis → think iron-deficiency anemia.

The most important clinical rule is:

Iron deficiency is not a final diagnosis. It is a sign that iron is being lost, not absorbed, or required in excess. Always search for the cause.

In adults, especially men and postmenopausal women, iron-deficiency anemia means occult gastrointestinal blood loss until proven otherwise.

The Debrecen hematology textbook describes iron-deficiency anemia as the most common cause of chronic anemia, accounting for about 80% of cases, and a major cause of microcytic hypochromic anemia.

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