Page Contents
- 1 WHAT IS IT?
- 2 WHAT CAUSES IT?
- 3 WHY IS IT CONCERNING MEDICALLY?
- 4 WHAT IS THE INTIAL PRESENTATION?
- 5 WHAT ARE IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY?
- 6 WHAT ARE IMPORTANT FEATURES OF THE PHYSICAL EXAM?
- 7 CLINICAL WORKUP: SERUM STUDIES
- 8
- 9 CLINICAL WORKUP: OTHER
- 10 HOW DO WE NARROW THE DIFFERENTIAL?
- 11 WHAT IS OUR THRESHOLD FOR DIAGNOSING THIS CONDITION?
- 12 PATIENT MANAGMENT: SYMPTOM RELEIF
- 13 PATIENT MANAGEMENT: DISEASE TREATMENT
- 14 PATIENT MANAGEMENT: PROPHYLACTIC MEASURES
- 15 COULD THIS HAVE BEEN PREVENTED?
- 16 ARCHIVE OF STANDARDIZED EXAM QUESTIONS
WHAT IS IT?
Folic acid (vitamin B9) deficiency is a fairly self explanatory term.
WHAT CAUSES IT?
Various processes can be responsible for a folic acid deficiency:
- Dietary deficiency: individuals with poor intake of folic acid containing foods (such as alcoholics) can develop this condition.
- Medication side effects: medications like phenytoin may make it more difficult to absorb folic acid intestinally.
WHY IS IT CONCERNING MEDICALLY?
Folic acid is an important that is required for DNA synthesis. Its absence can lead to the following types of medical complications:
- Megaloblastic anemia: folic acid deficiency can directly cause this type of anemia (through compromised DNA synthesis in RBCs).
WHAT IS THE INTIAL PRESENTATION?
Patient Chief Complaints:
Detected Medical Problems:
- Megaloblastic anemia
WHAT ARE IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY?
Risk Factors:
- Alcoholism
- Phenytoin usage
Medical History:
WHAT ARE IMPORTANT FEATURES OF THE PHYSICAL EXAM?
Vital Signs:
General Appearance:
- Pallor may be present in patients with more severe anemia
CLINICAL WORKUP: SERUM STUDIES
Complete Blood Count (CBC):
- Decreased hemoglobin/hematocrit can be present
- Increased MCV is often seen in this deficiency.
CLINICAL WORKUP: OTHER
HOW DO WE NARROW THE DIFFERENTIAL?
Conditions that present similarly and how to exclude them:
WHAT IS OUR THRESHOLD FOR DIAGNOSING THIS CONDITION?
PATIENT MANAGMENT: SYMPTOM RELEIF
PATIENT MANAGEMENT: DISEASE TREATMENT
PATIENT MANAGEMENT: PROPHYLACTIC MEASURES
COULD THIS HAVE BEEN PREVENTED?
ARCHIVE OF STANDARDIZED EXAM QUESTIONS
This archive compiles standardized exam questions that relate to this topic.
Page Updated: 02.22.2017