Components And Summary: Normal Anatomy And Physiology

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Normal Anatomy and Physiology Blood is one of the components that make up the circulatory system in the human body. It transports oxygens and nutrients to and removes waste materials from other systems of the body. Blood has different components which predominantly consist of red blood cells (RBC) also known as erythrocytes. RBCs have a lifespan of 120 days and depending on the age and gender of the healthy individual ranges between “4,200,000 to 6,100,000/mm3” (Ignatavicius & workman, p. 857). When matured, RBCs have a non-nucleated biconcave disk shape and a flexible membrane that allows for easy transport through capillaries to most of the peripheral blood tissue. They are also defragmented into iron and amino acids in the spleen; the iron is reabsorbed into the bone marrow and assimilated for storage in the …show more content…

The RBCs of a patient with sickle cell disease has 40% abnormal beta hemoglobin chains which form the hemoglobin S (HbS), inherited from one or both parents, thus possessing two of these alleles and a total hemoglobin of 80-100%. A carrier of this genetic disorder would have one HbS and HbA allele. In decreased oxygen conditions, the RBCs of the SCD individual resemble a sickle or half-moon shape which causes it to stick together thereby blocking blood flow in the vessels causing pain in the affected joints. This is known as a “vaso-occlusive event (VOE)” (p. 870) and it results in increased heart rate, reduced pulse, low blood pressure and decreased capillary refill. VOE also leads to reduced oxygen capacity of the hemoglobin reaching the tissue and other parts of the body leading to ischemia. In severe cases and with repeated ischemia, the organs of the body such as spleen, liver, heart, kidney, brain, joints, bones, and retina gradually decline in activity and function. (Ignatavicius & Workman,

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