Learn about Heinz bodies, what they mean, causes like exposure to toxic substances, and associated conditions such as thalassemia or hemolytic anemia. Heinz bodies are small spots in red blood cells that are a sign of certain types of red blood cell damage. They can be observed when a sample of the damaged red blood cells is prepared with special stains and viewed with a microscope.Heinz bodies
Having sickle cell trait means that you carry one copy of the gene that causes sickle cell disease. Find out what this means for you and your children. Sickle cell trait is the condition of carrying only one copy of the gene that causes sickle cell disease. Having only one copy of the gene does not cause the disease.Sickle cell disease is a hereditary blood disorder that affects people who have
A sickle cell crisis can be painful, and it can be dangerous. Find out what causes it and how to prevent it from occurring. Sickle cell crisis is a health complication of sickle cell disease, an inherited blood disorder. It usually causes severe pain, and it happens due to an acute blood cell reaction. Sometimes sickle cell crisis is triggered by physical stress, such as
Sickle cell disease is a blood disorder that affects many organs in the body, including the eyes. Learn how sickle cell disease can be detected. Sickle cell disease is a blood disorder caused by an inherited genetic mutation. People with sickle cell develop crescent-shaped red blood cells when there is reduced oxygen levels. These sickled red blood cells become stiff and do not flow easily
Learn how with the proper screenings in sickle cell anemia, you can prevent a stroke, which is one of the most devastating complications the disease. Stroke is something most people associate with elderly relatives, so it may come as a shock that children can have them too. Strokes do occur in newborns and children, but fortunately, overall, the risk is low (less than 1 percent of children).
When people with thalassemia develop iron overload from multiple transfusions, iron chelators (medications that remove iron from the body) are used. You’ve just been diagnosed with iron overload (also called hemosiderosis) secondary to the numerous red blood cell transfusions you've had to receive. You may have known about this risk early in your treatment, but maybe you didn’t. Iron
Why Blood Transfusions Are Used for Sickle Cell Disease
Red blood cell transfusions are a long-standing treatment in sickle cell disease (SCD) for a host of reasons. Red blood cell transfusions are a long-standing treatment in sickle cell disease (SCD). Similar to other medical treatments, blood transfusions have risks and benefits so it is important to understand why a blood transfusion has been
How Immunizations Play a Role in the Treatment of Sickle Cell Disease
People with sickle cell disease are at increased risk of serious bacterial infection. Learn how this risk can be reduced with proper immunizations. Immunizations are probably not what you think of when you think about medical treatment. Likely it is something you associate with young babies who are at risk for infection. There are several medical conditions where timely immunizations are an