Stem Cell Anemia Report Essay

Submitted By 14wilmad
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Stem cell anemia affects your blood cells. Anemia is defined as a pathological deficiency in the oxygen carrying material of the blood. Anemia is not one disease but the presence of a variety of diseases. Anemia is a worldwide significant health problem.

There are many different types of anemia. There is Aplastic Anemia caused by lack of a functioning bone marrow. It is also called bone marrow aplasia. Erythrocytes is a type of anemia that effects the red blood cells. Hemoglobin is a protein whose major function is to transport oxygen throughout the body. Hemolyticanemia is anemia resulting from hemolysis, the excessive destruction of red blood cells. Hypoxia is a deficiency in the amount of oxygen reaching the body tissues. Iron deficiency anemia is anemia characterized by low serum iron concentration. Megaloblastic anemia is anemia caused by the failure of red blood cells to mature. It is also known as pernicious anemia, addisonian anemia or maturation failure anemia. Microcytic or hypochromic anemia which is anemia the ensues after blood loss.

In the body hemoglobin the red blood pigment is a protein whose major function is to transport oxygen throughout the body. Anemia is defined as a reduction in either the volume of red blood cells or the concentration of hemoglobin in a sample of venous blood when compared with similar values obtained from a reference population. The anemic condition is considered to exist if hemoglobin levels are below 13 grams per 100 milliliters of blood in males. In females if hemoglobin levels are below 12 grams per 100 milliliters of blood. This only applies if the female is an adult or is not pregnant.

The one major cause of anemia is a deficiency in the oxygen carrying material of the blood or vitamin B12. Some of the symptoms of anemia are palor, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, lethargy, fatigue, low blood pressure and duration-acute or chronic. For severe anemia some of the symptoms could be weakness, tiredness, pale skin, gums and nail beds. Symptoms of worsening anemia are lightheadedness, especially when you change positions like standing up quickly, fast or rapid heart beat, shortness of breath, fainting or chest pain. Jaundice (yellow skin and eyes) may be a symptom of hemolytic anemia.

Anemia is diagnosed, when you start having symptoms you go to the doctor and they will do different types of blood tests to tell if you have anemia and what type it is and how severe it is. The blood test can usually tell how many red blood cells you have and how many hemoglobin you have.

Prevention of anemia is caused by a poor eating diet. If you start feeling any syptoms of anemia you should try to include more rich in nutrients foods each day. Treatments for anemia are replacement of deficient iron, vitamin B12 or folate, and blood transfusions.

Sickle Cell Anemia is a different type of anemia. It is an inherited disease that causes abnormal red blood cells. It is a life long disease that affects more Africans, African Americans and East Indians. Also people from the Mediterranean (Italian or Greek), Middle East, Caribbean and Central or South America. Sickle Cell Anemia is not as common in the United States as it is in many of these countries. In the United States one of every twelve African American newborns carry the Sickle Cell Disease.

Some of the complications of the disease can be very serious. Infections can be pneumonia or meningitis. Kidney infections, bone infections, gall stones, loss of vision caused by damage to blood vessels in the eyes, hip and shoulder joint damage and strokes. These infections can all occur from sickle cell anemia. To take care of yourself you should make sure all of your shots are up to date. You should get a flu shot each year. You should get a pneumococcal pneumonia