Sickle Cell Anemia

Prepared by:
Jozalyn Velez Outline

• Definition
• Symptoms
• Causes
• Diagnosis
• Treatment/prevention
• conclusion

Sickle Cell Anemia Sickle Cell Anemia is an inherited form of anemia, a condition in which there isn’t enough healthy red blood cells to carry sufficient oxygen throughout your body. Normally a person has flexible and round blood cells. With Sickle Cell anemia, Hemoglobin molecules in red blood cells, that carry oxygen in the body, are defective causing some of the red blood cells to change and form a sickle, or crescent moon shape.

Symptoms
Pain: The sickle cells are sticky and get stuck, clump together, resulting in a blockage in the flow of blood …show more content…

Once diagnosed, the doctor will perform a test called a red blood cell count to check for anemia. The doctor also might refer the patient to a genetic counselor. Treatment/ Prevention
The only cure to Sickle Cell Anemia would be a bone marrow transplant, but treatment is preferred since it’s very hard to find a donor due to the fact that the marrow has to come from a healthy matched sibling, and to the fact that there are serious risks to the procedure (Including death). A Bone Marrow Transplant is when stem cells that are normally found in the blood are taken out, filtered, and given back to the same person or another person. Treatment for Sickle Cell Anemia is usually aimed at avoiding crises, relieving symptoms and preventing complications. Pain from sickle Cell anemia is treated with pain-killing drugs and intravenous fluids. Hydroxyurea, an anti-cancer drug, can lower the frequency of Sickle Cell crises and of acute chest syndrome. Most of the complications are treated as they occur. Children under the age of five are given oral penicillin to prevent pneumonia. Blood transfusions fix anemia, help prevent strokes, and treat spleen enlargement, but there are serious side affects when transfusions are frequent.
The only way to prevent Sickle Cell anemia if you know that you have the gene is by seeing a genetic counselor about how the gene is passed on which is if you and your partner have the gene.