Sickle Cell Anemi Research Paper - 2366 Words

Kayla Akers 12/4/2014 Sickle Cell Anemia Research Paper MDL 127 Hematology Sickle Cell Anemia is a hereditary disease that has a gene that causes red bone marrow in the body to make sickled shapes, when this happens; it causes the red blood cells to die faster. This is what causes Hemolytic Anemia. Older children and adults with sickle cell disease may have very few complications, or have patterns of ongoing problems that ultimately shorten their lives. The most serious and common problems with sickle cell disease are organ failure, fatigue and pain. There are many opportunities and alternatives for treatment and symptom management that a sickle cell patient can consider today. Sickle Cell Anemia occurs in the bloodstream of the†¦show more content†¦That results in deprivation of oxygen rich blood to the tissues and organs that use and need it. This is what causes the painful episodes that are associated with the disease. This pain can sometimes be related to damage to vital organs such as the spleen, liver, kidneys, pelvic bones, heart, lungs, an d even the brain. Serious complications from certain infected tissues can happen. They cycle of a normal red blood cell is around 120 days, sickled cells differ and can only last for 10-20 days long. The red blood cell supply shortens because the body can’t keep up making them as fast as they are dying, so this results in a condition called, Anemia. Sickle Cell Anemia is caused by the gene that instructs the cell how to make hemoglobin. The gene that is defective, still instructs the cell and it causes the cells to take strange shapes. A genetic mutation occurred years ago in the people of the Mediterranean, India, Middle East, and Africa. The malaria epidemic attacked the people who lived in these countries and the people with the defective hemoglobin gene survived. When carrying only one defective gene, means a person has a sickle cell trait. Two parents with a trait, produce a child with the anemia. Two million Americans approximately carry the sickle cell trait. In the U. S. alone, 72,000 people are affected by Sickle Cell Anemia, the ancestors of most of these people come from Spanish speaking regions,