Acute Blood Loss Anemia

Acute blood loss anemias are related with severe injury, accidents or surgery.
Acute blood loss does not produce immediate anemia but the body will adjust to the situation by increasing the volume using the fluid from the extravascular spaces having a diluting efect on the remaining cells which eventually produce the anemia.
The following results can be seen in a patient with acute blood loss:
Increase white blood cells and platelets. Volume disruption with no iron deficiency.
Hematocrit and reticulocyte ( immature red blood cells) usually normal.
After the hemorrhage takes about 48 t0 72 hours for hemoglobin and hematocrit falls and the anemia becomes apparent. When reticulocytes increased in the circulation a transient macrocytosis develops ( around 3 to 5 days after the blood loss). Everything would go back to normal after the replacement of the blood loss by transfussion if neccesary. Perhaps some of the red cell values will take longer to get back to normal.