What is sickle cell amenia?
Sickle cell anemia is a group of inherited red blood cell disorders. This condition is characterized by abnormally shaped red blood cells that can block blood flow and cause a variety of health problems.
Red blood cells that are misshapen cause problems because:
- They break down prematurely: Normally, red blood cells can survive in the bloodstream for about 120 days. In sickle cell anemia, some abnormally shaped red blood cells break down after only 20 or 30 days.
- They can block blood vessels: In the smaller blood vessels particularly, deformed red blood cells can get stuck and stop the normal flow of blood to organs and tissues, such as the kidneys, spleen, brain, lungs, skin, bones, joints, and eyes. These episodes when occur, can cause sudden episodes of severe pain (called a sickle-shaped crisis).
Because they break down or get stuck inside small blood vessels before delivering their oxygen cargo, people with sickle cell anemia get the following serious complications over time include:
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