You are caring for an 87-year-old female who has been admitted to your unit with anemia. What would you suspect?
A) Excessive consumption of coffee or tea
B) Elimination of iron by the body
C) Decrease in the total body iron stores with age
D) Blood loss from the gastrointestinal or genitourinary tract
D
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If an older adult is anemic, blood loss from the gastrointestinal or genitourinary tract is suspected. This is because iron-deficiency anemia is unusual in older adults as the body does not eliminate excessive iron, causing total body iron stores to increase with age. Excessive consumption of coffee or tea is not a causative factor for anemia in older adults.
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