Anemia is the most common blood condition in the U.S. It affects about 5.6% of the people in the U.S. Women, young children, and people with chronic diseases are at increased risk of anemia. Important factors to remember are: Certain forms of anemia are hereditary and infants may be affected from the time of birth.
Hemochromatosis (HE-mo-kro-ma-TO-sis) is a disease in which too much iron builds up in your body (iron overload). Iron is a mineral found in many foods. Too much iron is toxic to your body.
Red blood cells carry oxygen from your lungs to your entire body. They are produced in your bone marrow. When dying red blood cells outpace the bone marrow's production of new ones, hemolytic anemia occurs. Learn the myriad causes of hemolytic anemia, common symptoms, and treatments to address this condition.
Hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN) is a blood disorder that occurs in a newborn infant because the blood types of the newborn and his mother are incompatible; the mother's body makes antibodies that attack and break down the infant's red blood cells.
Acquired hemophilia is a rare variety of the condition that occurs when a person's immune system attacks clotting factors in the blood. It can be associated with: Pregnancy; Autoimmune conditions; Cancer; Multiple sclerosis; Hemophilia inheritance. In the most common types of hemophilia, the faulty gene is located on the X chromosome.
Hereditary spherocytosis (HS) is a disorder of the surface, called the membrane, of your red blood cells. It causes your red blood cells to be shaped like spheres instead of flattened discs that curve inward. The spherical cells are less flexible than normal red blood cells.
Hodgkin’s disease (HD) is a type of lymphoma, which is a blood cancer that starts in the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system helps the immune system get rid of waste and fight infections. HD is also called Hodgkin disease, Hodgkin lymphoma, and Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is a rare blood disorder in which the immune system misidentifies blood platelets as foreign substances and produces antibodies to attack them. This immune system malfunction results in an abnormally low level of platelets in the blood.
A collection of disease information resources and questions answered by our Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Specialists for Inherited bone marrow failure syndromes
Slow, chronic blood loss within the body — such as from a peptic ulcer, a hiatal hernia, a colon polyp or colorectal cancer — can cause iron deficiency anemia. Gastrointestinal bleeding can result from regular use of some over-the-counter pain relievers, especially aspirin.
Iron-deficiency anemia occurs because of a lack of the mineral iron in the body. Bone marrow in the center of the bone needs iron to make hemoglobin, the part of the red blood cell that transports oxygen to the body's organs. Without adequate iron, the body cannot produce enough hemoglobin for red blood cells. The result is iron-deficiency anemia.
Aplastic anemia: In people with aplastic anemia, the bone marrow does not produce enough blood cells, including red blood cells. This can be caused by a host of conditions, including hepatitis, Epstein-Barr, or HIV -- to the side effect of a drug, to chemotherapy medications, to pregnancy.
Sickle cell disease; Synonyms: Sickle cell disorder: Figure (A) shows normal red blood cells flowing freely through veins. The inset shows a cross section of a normal red blood cell with normal haemoglobin. Figure (B) shows abnormal, sickled red blood cells sticking at the branching point in a vein.
Hereditary spherocytosis (HS) is a disorder of the surface, called the membrane, of your red blood cells. It causes your red blood cells to be shaped like spheres instead of flattened discs that curve inward. The spherical cells are less flexible than normal red blood cells.
Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder in which the body makes an abnormal form of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the protein molecule in red blood cells that carries oxygen. The disorder results in excessive destruction of red blood cells, which leads to anemia.