Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Pernicious anemia overview
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Pernicious anemia (also known as Biermer’s anaemia or Addison’s anaemia or Addison-Biermer anaemia) is a form of megaloblastic anaemia due to vitamin B12 deficiency dependent on impaired absorption of vitamin B12 in the setting of atrophic gastritis, and more specifically of loss of gastric parietal cells. While the term “pernicious anaemia” is sometimes also incorrectly used to indicate megaloblastic anaemia due to any cause of vitamin B12 deficiency, its proper usage refers to that caused by atrophic gastritis and parietal cell loss only.
Pernicious anemia is a decrease in red blood cells that occurs when the body cannot properly absorb vitamin B12 from the gastrointestinal tract. Vitamin B12 is necessary for the proper development of red blood cells.
Pernicious anemia is a type of megaloblastic anemia.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]