Symptoms of impaired oxygen delivery due to anemia include shortness of breath with activity and at rest when anemia is more severe, syncope (fainting), degrees of fatigue, as well as signs and symptoms of an increase in heart rate resulting in palpitations and a roaring pulsatile sound in the ears. More severe anemia may lead to lethargy, confusion, and potentially life-threatening complications related to weakened heart function (congestive heart failure), chest pain due to impaired delivery of oxygen to the heart muscle (angina, arrhythmia), abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmia), and/or myocardial infarction (prolonged decreased oxygen to the heart muscle resulting in damage to the heart or “heart attack”). Such life-threatening complications are more likely to occur in the elderly and those with the aforementioned pre-existing conditions.
Impaired oxygen delivery in anemia medical expert witness specialties include hematology, internal medicine, hospitalist medicine, pediatric hospitalist medicine, heart failure cardiology, cardiac electrophysiology, and cardiology pediatrics.