A 72-year-old woman with complaints of increasing fatigue has completed a series of fecal occult blood tests that indicate the presence of blood in her stool. Which of the following health problems is likely to accompany this client's gastrointestinal bleed

Iron deficiency anemia.

Explanation:

The presence of blood in her stool does not affect blood volume, but leads to iron deficiency anemia when iron stores are depleted.

Iron deficiency anemia is a common type of anemia, a condition in which the blood does not have enough healthy red blood cells. It is due to a lack of iron, so the body cannot produce a sufficient amount of hemoglobin, a substance present in red blood cells that allows them to transport oxygen. As a consequence, iron deficiency anemia can make you feel tired and short of breath.