Sickle Cell Anemia

Sickle Cell Anemia, also known as Sickle Cell Disease, is a disease that causes the production of abnormal hemoglobin. The red blood cells (RBCs) carry oxygen to organs and tissues. Hemoglobin, a molecule in the RBCs, is a protein that attaches to the oxygen in the lungs and carries it to all parts of the body. Hemoglobin takes on the oxygen, and releases carbon dioxide, a process known as oxygenation. In the tissues, deoxygenation occurs where the processes is reversed, when hemoglobin releases oxygen and takes on carbon dioxide. When the RBCs are healthy, they can easily move through the tiniest blood vessels throughout the body because of their flexibility. The hemoglobin S is fragile and abnormal in Sickle Cell Anemia, and the RBCs are pointy with a shape like the alphabet letter "C" or the crescent moon. This makes the RBCs difficult to move pass through the blood vessels. The RBCs become hard, and can get stuck in blood vessels, and often clog the spleen. This causes pain, infection, and poor blood flow in patients that have Sickle Cell Anemia. The RBCs also block blood flow to organs, such as the heart, lungs, brain, etc., which can lead to stroke, damage to organs, especially the spleen, acute chest syndrome, disability, and sometimes, even death.
Cause of Disease
Sickle Cell Anemia is the most common
But most babies don't show symptoms of the disease until four months or older. The symptoms of Sickle Cell Anemia can range from very mild to very severe. The most common symptom is fatigue and pain, while anemia is also present. Other symptoms include dizziness, headaches, pale skin, cold feet or hands, chest pain, shortness of breath, hand-foot syndrome, dark urine, yellow eyes, stunted growth, stroke, and sudden pain in the entire body. Sometimes, the symptoms are so severe that it requires the person to get hospitalized