Sickle cell anemia – National Library of Medicine – PubMed Health

Sickle cell anemia is a disease passed down through families. The red blood cells which are normally shaped like a disc take on a sickle orcrescent shape. Red blood cells carry oxygen to the body.A.D.A.M.

Sickle cell anemia is caused by an abnormal type of hemoglobin called hemoglobin S. Hemoglobin is a protein inside red blood cells that carries oxygen.

Hemoglobin S changes the red blood cells. The red blood cells become fragile and shaped like crescents or sickles.

The abnormal cells deliver less oxygen to the body's tissues.

They can also easily get stuck in small blood vessels and break into pieces. This can interrupt healthy blood flow and cut down even more on the amount of oxygen flowing to body tissues.

Sickle cell anemia is inherited from both parents. If you get thesickle cellgene from only one parent, you will have sickle cell trait. People with sickle cell trait do not have the symptoms of sickle cell anemia.

Sickle cell disease is much more common in people of African and Mediterranean descent. It is also seen in people from South and Central America, the Caribbean, and the Middle East.

Symptoms usually do not occur until after the age of 4 months.

Almost all people with sickle cell anemia have painful episodes called crises. These can last from hours to days. Crises can cause pain in the lower back, leg, joints, and chest.

Some people have one episode every few years. Others have many episodes each year. The crises can be severe enough to require a hospital stay.

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Sickle cell anemia - National Library of Medicine - PubMed Health