What it means
Usually an autoimmune disease that damages the stomach cells that make intrinsic factor. Without it, vitamin B12VY-tuh-min bee TWELVA vitamin from animal foods that the body needs to make red blood cells and keep nerves healthy; also called cobalamin.Full entry from food cannot be absorbed, so the body makes too few, abnormally large red blood cells. Over time the lack also damages nerves, causing numbness, tingling, balance problems and memory changes. The tongue may be smooth, red and sore. "Pernicious" means deadly, as it was before treatment was found.
For the nurse
Treatment is vitamin B12 for life, usually by injection (often monthly), or by high-dose pills or nasal spray as ordered. Teach that stopping it lets the anemia and nerve damage return.
At a glance
| Spanish | anemia perniciosa |
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Related terms
anemia
A lower than normal number of red blood cells or amount of hemoglobin in the blood.
red blood cell
A blood cell that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues; also called an erythrocyte.
vitamin B12
A vitamin from animal foods that the body needs to make red blood cells and keep nerves healthy; also called cobalamin.
neuropathy
Damage to or disease of one or more nerves, most often the nerves of the hands and feet.