pernicious anemia

pernicious anemia

n.

A severe anemia most often affecting older adults, caused by failure of the stomach to absorb vitamin B₁₂ and characterized by abnormally large red blood cells, gastrointestinal disturbances, and lesions of the spinal cord.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

pernicious anemia - a chronic progressive anemia of older adults; thought to result from a lack of intrinsic factor (a substance secreted by the stomach that is responsible for the absorption of vitamin B12) malignant anaemia, malignant anemia, pernicious anaemia megaloblastic anaemia, megaloblastic anemia - anemia characterized by many large immature and dysfunctional red blood cells (megaloblasts) in the bone marrow; associated with pernicious anemia metaplastic anaemia, metaplastic anemia - pernicious anemia in which the various formed elements in the blood are changed anemia, anaemia - a deficiency of red blood cells