Facts About Sickle Cell Anemia

Sickle cell anemia is a disease in which the body makes abnormally sickle-shaped red blood cells. Sickle cell anemia is an inherited trait that causes the body to have a low hemoglobin count and causes the person with the condition to become severely sick when clumps of sickle-shaped cells block the passage of blood through the vessels.

Expert Insight

• Normal blood cells live about 120 days in the bloodstream before dying. Bone marrow is responsible for making new red blood cells. Because sickle-shaped cells are abnormally developed, they only live about 10 to 20 days. The marrow does not have enough time to develop healthy cells to replace the dead cells. This causes the body to have a lower blood count.

Inheritance

• A person develops sickle cell anemia through her parents. In order to develop this disease, both parents must carry the sickle cell gene.

Considerations

• Persons who carry this gene are known to have the sickle cell trait. Carrierers of the trait do not develop illnesses from the gene, but can possibly pass the gene on to their children.

Effects

• Those with sickle cell anemia can suffer from a range of ailments, such as pain, infections and organ damage or failure.

Complications

• Some known complications associated with sickle cell anemia include strokes, leg ulcers, pulmonary hypertension (arterial high blood pressure) and osteomyelitis (bacterial bone infections).

Treatment

• There is no cure for sickle cell anemia. Some treatments for the disease include bone marrow transplants and daily medications to control pain and fatigue.