You are caring for an 87-year-old female who has been admitted to your unit with iron-deficiency anemia. What would you suspect?
a) Elimination of iron by the body
b) Decrease in the total body iron stores with age
c) Blood loss from the gastrointestinal or genitourinary tract
d) Excessive consumption of coffee or tea
Answer: Blood loss from the gastrointestinal or genitourinary tract