Sickle cell anemia is a blood disorder that is inherited from both parents in which the body produces abnormally shaped red blood cells. In sickle cell anemia, the hemoglobin in red blood cells links together; resulting in the red blood cells to become rigid and a C-shaped. These deformed cells block blood and oxygen flow in blood vessels. Sickle cells deteriorate quicker than normal red blood cells, which results in anemia.
Sickle cell anemia is a genetic disorder. For a person to have sickle cell anemia they must have received two copies of the gene, one from each parent. A person with the sickle cell trait only received one sickle cell gene and a normal hemoglobin gene. People who have the sickle cell trait do not develop sickle cell anemia however they can pass the deformed gene on to their children. People with just the trait do not face the complications caused by the disorder.
Due to the blockage of blood flow in the arteries sickle cell anemia causes many complications. The trademark of sickle cell anemia is a sickle cell crisis, which causes sudden serve pain. A common problem is acute chest syndrome, which is triggered by an infection or by blockage of blood vessels in the lungs. Which if left untreated, can be cause organ damage or even death.
Each red blood cell in the human body contains about 280 million hemoglobin molecules. Hemoglobin is the most important component of red blood cells. Red blood cells are composed of a protein (globulin) and a molecule (heme), which binds to iron. Normal hemoglobin causes regular oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange. In the lungs, the heme, which binds to iron, component takes up oxygen and releases carbon dioxide. The red blood cells carry the oxygen to the body's tissues, where ...
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...creases, therefore speeding the sickling process. Sickle cells also have a shorter life span (10 - 20 days) than normal red blood cells (90 - 120 days). Every day the body produces new red blood cells to replace old ones, but sickle cells become destroyed so fast that the body cannot keep up. The red blood cell count drops, which results in anemia. This gives sickle cell disease its more common name, sickle cell anemia.
The only true way to determine if a person has sickle cell anemia is through a blood test, and if a person does have sickle cell anemia there are ways to help avoid crisis and the pain associated with the disease. There are medicines that help to prevent attacks. Anti-inflammorty medicines help with the joint pain associated with this disease.
Works Cited
Sickle Cell Disease." University of Maryland Medical Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2014.
Red blood cells deliver the oxygen to the muscles and organs of the body.
According to Virtual Medical Centre (2014) the primary function of the blood is to act as a transport, to give the body protection and to help regulate. The blood dissolves gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide. The blood also transports vital nutrients throughout the body, such as micro-nutrients, fatty acids and amino acids. The flow of the blood helps to regulate the body’s temperature. Also the blood removes wastes material of metabolism. Blood cells (white and red cells) are carried through the body to help with the body’s natural defense, blood clotting and the carry anti-bodies.
A normal red blood cell can live up to one hundred and twenty days. A red blood cell with the membrane defect might live ten to thirty days. When the child develops low levels of red blood cells, it is because the cells break down faster than they are being replenished. The body contains hemoglobin, which is a form of protein that carries oxygen around the body, giving it to the cells that need it (Seattle Childrens).... ...
Sickle Cell Anemia is an autosomal recessive disorder, which increases blood thickness hence affects the smooth flow of blood. This causes by the destruction of red cells where the normal shape of red cell become a stiff sickle shape. As a result, sufficient oxygen does not reach the vital organs. A vaso-occlusive crisis arises from hindrance of blood circulation by sickled blood cells. It is characterized by sturdy pains and in some cases; it may cause permanent organ damage. This paper seeks to formulate a nursing diagnosis, as well as a plan of care that includes nursing interventions and the methods to be used to evaluate whether the interventions are successful (American Sickle Cell Anemia Association).
Sickle cell disease is a group of disorders that affects the blood, specifically, a molecule called hemoglobin in red blood cells (“sickle cell disease”, 2016). Hemoglobin is a molecule that facilitates the delivery of oxygen throughout the body (“sickle cell disease”, 2016). A mutant form of the hemoglobin molecule causes red blood cells to become crescent shaped or “sickled shaped” (Lonergan et. al. 2001). This distorted shape of red blood cells causes rigidity of the blood cells and vaso-occulusion (or the blood vessels to become clogged) (Rees et.al., 2010). This often leads to a low number of red blood cells (anemia), repeated infections and episodes of pain that are periodic (“Sickle cell disease”, 2016). Although sickle cell disease
Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) (also known as Sickle Cell Disorder or Sickle Cell Anemia) is an inherited blood disorder where the red blood cells have abnormal sickle-shaped hemoglobin S (HbS) called sickle haemoglobin (National Heart Lungs and Blood Institute (NHLBI), 2015). The disease, according to medical sciences, is inherited from both parents as part of their genetic makeup and is usually caused by some abnormalities in haemoglobin which is a protein in red blood cells that conveys oxygen through the body. Whereas normal red blood cells are round, in people with sickle cell anemia, a defective substance in red blood cells changes the shape of the cells. The normal haemoglobin called haemoglobin A (HbA) is replaced by HbS which later becomes
Unlike normal red blood cells that last about 4 months in the bloodstream, fragile sickle cells break down after only about 10 to 20 days, which usually causes anemia. Anemia (pronounced: uh-nee-mee-uh) is what happens when the body's number of red blood cells (or amount of hemoglobin) falls below normal. People who are anemic often feel weak and tire more easily.
“In the United States, it's estimated that sickle cell anemia affects 70,000–100,000 people, mainly African Americans” (NHLBI, NIH, Who is at risk for sickle cell anemia). SCD is a disease that is a serious disorder in which the body can make normal blood cells and sickle shape cells. Sickle shape cells can block the blood flow in your vessels and cause pain or organ damage also put you in risk for infections. SCD has no cure available but there are many treatments out there to deal with the complications of it. From over years treatments did get better from way back in the day doctors have learned. Sickle cell disease has lack of attention and funding because it’s only affecting African American the most.
Sickle cell anemia is an inherited disease of red blood cells. Normally red blood cells contain a protein called hemoglobin A, which carries oxygen to all the organs in the body. With sickle cell anemia, however, the body makes a different kind of protein, called hemoglobin S.
If only one parent is a carries that child may only inherit that trait sickle cell cannot be contracted or pass from one individual to the next sickle cell is consider and autosomal recessive discover. It gets pass down from generation to generation.
Sickle Cell Anemia is an inherited blood disorder that is extremely challenging to live with. Its symptoms are many, with the most prominent being severe pain that can become unbearable to the point where hospitalization is required. Because sickle cell is a genetic disorder, a person is born with it and it is usually permanent. Unfortunately, there are risks and complications associated with this disease. However there are various treatment options for a patient with sickle cell and also support to help people understand and cope with this challenging disease.
...In a drop of blood the size of a pine head there are about 5 million red blood cells, 10,000 white blood cells and 250,000 platelets. There are many organs that help with circulation. This is the process of how blood circulates through the body. 1. Blood enters the heart on the right side. 2. The right ventricle pumps blood to the lungs. 3. The lungs remove carbon dioxide from the blood. 4. The blood takes up oxygen and returns to the left side of the heart. 5. The left ventricle pumps the blood to the bod through the arteries. 6. The blood flows through the small intestine to pick up food water and medicine. 7. The blood flows through the live. This removes wastes and releases stored nutrients. 8. Capillaries deliver food, water, and medicine to the cells. They remove wastes and carbon dioxide. 9. The blood travels to the kidneys. These filter out more wastes and ex
The heme prosthetic group, a protoporphrin IX ring structure with an iron atom ion the ferrous (Fe2+) oxidation state exist in both in myoglobin and he...
Red blood cells are carriers of oxygen. A percentage of these cells contain hemoglobin, which has the capacity to combine with iron. It's the iron-hemoglobin molecular structure that helps carry oxygen-rich blood from the lungs to your tissues and in return, delivers carbon dioxide back to the lungs to be expelled. A CBC with Differential that shows low red blood cell levels can indicate anemia. RBCs comprise about 40% of total blood volume; the RBC count is the number of red blood cells per cubic millimeter of blood (Rauen, 2012). Normal red blood cells values vary a...
Red Blood Cells contain hemoglobin molecules to help bind to oxygen to bring to other tissues. Without this function, cells would not be able to go through the process of cellular respiration and can only survive a short time. Red Blood Cells are also able to carry bicarbonate as a waste product and carry a variety of hormones to communicate between organs.