A patient with low hemoglobin and low MCV is likely suffering from which condition?

When evaluating a patient with low hemoglobin and low mean corpuscular volume (MCV), the most consistent diagnosis is microcytic anemia.

Microcytic anemia is characterized by the presence of smaller than normal red blood cells, resulting in a low MCV. This type of anemia is commonly associated with iron deficiency, chronic disease, or thalassemia. In this case, the low hemoglobin indicates that the patient is experiencing a deficiency in the number or quality of red blood cells.

Iron deficiency anemia, which is also associated with low MCV, is a specific type of microcytic anemia but does not encompass all forms. The broader category of microcytic anemia includes various causes, so while iron deficiency could ultimately be the root cause, the overall classification is microcytic anemia due to the observable lab results.

Macrocytic anemia, on the other hand, is characterized by a high MCV and is typically associated with vitamin B12 or folate deficiencies. Hemolytic anemia involves the premature destruction of red blood cells and would not typically present with low MCV. Thus, identifying the correct classification based on low hemoglobin and low MCV leads to the conclusion of microcytic anemia as the most fitting condition.