Anemia: Rational Approach to Diagnosis and Treatment

SELF STUDY / ENDURING - ESTIMATED TIME TO COMPLETE ACTIVITY: 50 Minutes

Overview

This educational session provides a structured approach to diagnosing and managing anemia, emphasizing interpretation of red cell indices, peripheral smears, and laboratory markers to guide clinical decision-making. Participants will explore common causes of microcytic, macrocytic, and normocytic anemia, including iron deficiency, B12/folate deficiency, chronic disease, and hemolysis, while reviewing evidence-based treatment strategies to optimize patient outcomes.

Target Audience

This CME initiative was designed for oncologists, surgeons, radiation oncologists, NPs, PAs, pharmacists, nurses, and other healthcare professionals involved in the treatment of patients with cancer.

Learning Objectives

  1. ​​​​​​Discuss the important elements of a Complete Blood Count (CBC) with differential
  2. Describe how red cell indices are used to guide a rational workup for anemia
  3. Review the most common causes of micro-, macro-, and normocytic anemias
  4. Identify effective treatment and management options for select common causes of anemia. 

 

Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 0.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™

    This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). Horizon CME is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

    Horizon CME designates this Enduring activity for a maximum of 0.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Course opens: 
06/12/2026
Course expires: 
06/12/2027
Cost:
$0.00
Rating: 
0

Faculty

Sven R. Olson, MD

Assistant Professor of Medicine
Program Director, Section of Classical Hematology
Division of Hematology & Oncology
Oregon Health & Science University
Portland, OR

Dr. Sven Olson is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Classical Hematologist focused on bleeding and clotting disorders, including venous and arterial thrombosis, hemophilia, Von Willebrand disease, and platelet disorders. Dr. Olson serves as the program director of the section of Classical Hematology at the Knight Cancer Institute, as well as co-director of the OHSU School of Medicine’s “Blood and Host Defense” curriculum block.

Sven completed medical school at the Medical College of Wisconsin, followed by internal medicine residency and hematology & oncology fellowship at OHSU. Sven’s wife, Dominique, practices anesthesia. They have a two year-old son, Ansel, a 4 month- old daughter, Helena, and a mini-goldendoodle, Pintxo.

Disclosures:

In accordance with the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, Horizon CME (HCME) ensures that continuing education activities are balanced, independent, objective, and scientifically rigorous. 

All persons in a position to influence the content of an accredited continuing education activity provided by Horizon CME are required to disclose to HCME any relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies within the past 24 months. All reported relevant financial relationships have been mitigated by Horizon CME.

Sven R. Olson, MD discloses no relevant financial relationships with any entity producing, marketing, re-selling, or distributing healthcare goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients during the past 24 months.

Available Credit

  • 0.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™

    This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). Horizon CME is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

    Horizon CME designates this Enduring activity for a maximum of 0.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Price

Cost:
$0.00
Please login or register to take this course.

There are no fees for participating and receiving CME credit for this enduring activity. To receive CME credit participants must:

  1. Read the CME/CE information and faculty disclosures.
  2. Participate in the online activity.
  3. Complete the post-test
  4. Submit the evaluation form

DISCLAIMER:

This activity is designed for educational purposes. Participants have a responsibility to utilize this information to enhance their professional development to improve patient outcomes. Conclusions drawn by the participants should be derived from careful consideration of all available scientific information. The participant should use his/her clinical judgment, knowledge, experience, and diagnostic decision-making before applying any information, whether provided here or by others, for any professional use.

Required Hardware/software

Access to the internet is required.

Supported Browsers:

Internet Explorer 8.0+ for Windows 2003, Vista, XP, Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and above

Google Chrome 28.0+ for Windows, Mac OS, or Linux

Mozilla Firefox 23.0+ for Windows, Mac OS, or Linux

Safari 6.0+ for Mac OSX 10.7 and above

 

Supported Phones & Tablets:

 Android 4.0.3 and above

iPhone/iPad with iOS 6.1 or above