Contents:
- Medical Video: Hematology | Types of Anemias
- Sickle cell anemia
- Thalassemia
- Congenital pernicious anemia
- Fanconi anemia
- Hereditary spherocytosis
- Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
Medical Video: Hematology | Types of Anemias
Some people are born with genetic disorders that trigger several types of anemia, including sickle cell anemia, thalassemia, and anemia Fanconi.
Many people think that anemia is only caused by external factors, such as a poor diet. But in reality, some types of anemia are actually carried by genes.
Some types of anemia that can be reduced are:
Sickle cell anemia
Sickle cell anemia patients have genes that cause hemoglobin to form abnormally. As a result, red blood cells are produced in the form of sickles. This condition can cause a crisis and even strokes and heart attacks. Sickle cell anemia patients may also experience swelling in the hands and feet and decrease the body's ability to fight infection. According to Murray's explanation, sickle cell anemia is the most common anemia in African-Americans, and sometimes attacks Hispanic, Indian and Mediterranean offspring.
Thalassemia
Thalassemia occurs when the body is unable to produce enough hemoglobin, which functions to carry oxygen throughout the body. This condition is also caused by a damaged gene. Mild thalassemia sufferers usually show typical symptoms of anemia, such as fatigue, while those with moderate or severe thalassemia experience growth problems, enlarged spleen, bone problems, and jaundice.
Congenital pernicious anemia
This rare type of anemia is a condition when a person is born with the body's inability to produce intrinsic factors, a protein in the stomach that helps the body absorb vitamin B12. Without vitamin B12, the body is not able to make enough healthy red blood cells, so you experience anemia. Lack of vitamin B12 in the body can cause other complications, such as nerve damage, memory loss, and enlargement of the liver. This condition is usually treated with vitamin B12 supplements which may need to be taken for life.
Fanconi anemia
Fanconi anemia arises from a congenital blood disorder that prevents the bone marrow from producing enough new blood cells for the body. In addition to having common symptoms of anemia, such as fatigue and dizziness, Fanconi anemia sufferers are also at greater risk of infection because their bodies do not produce enough white blood cells to fight germs. Some patients are also at greater risk of acute myeloid leukemia (a type of blood cancer) because their bone marrow produces large amounts of immature white blood cells and prevents normal blood cell production.
Hereditary spherocytosis
This hereditary disease is characterized by the appearance of abnormal red blood cells called spherocytes thin and fragile. These cells cannot change shape when passing certain organs as normal red blood cells can do. As a result, spherocytes going to the spleen again finally destroyed. The destruction of red blood cells causes anemia. Most patients suffer from it hereditary spherocytosis only mild anemia is present, but can lead to infections that cause jaundice and even the temporary cessation of the production of blood cells by the bone marrow.
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, or abbreviated as TTP, triggered by damage to blood clotting enzymes that cause clumping of platelets (blood cells that help heal wounds). When platelets clot, small amounts of platelets circulate throughout the body, so TTP sufferers will experience prolonged internal, external bleeding or skin bleeding. "This condition disrupts the red blood cells that come out of the bone marrow, causing the breakdown of red blood cells in the blood," Murray explained. This condition is better known as hemolytic anemia. TTP can develop later in life, but other forms of hereditary disease also exist.
Meanwhile, there are several measures to prevent anemia caused by malnutrition or curable diseases. But for those born with hereditary anemia, lifelong treatment must be treated.
