Sickle Cell Anemia

Sickle Cell anemia is a blood disease that is inherited by the parents and lasts forever. The ones that have this disease inherit two genes from each parent that are abnormal which are the sickle cell genes. These genes inform the body to make abnormal hemoglobin which causes the red blood cells to be deformed. A single change in the amino acid building blocks of hemoglobin causes the sickle cell mutation. The changes in the hemoglobin forms a long rod onto the red blood cell. Normal red blood cells are smooth and round-shaped like a doughnut; however, with this disease the red blood cells become hard, sticky, and are shaped like crescents or sickles. Theses cells can get stuck in the small blood vessels that they go through and block the blood flow. This can cause damage, pain, and anemia.

There are many different symptoms of Sickle Cell anemia that affects people in different ways. The most common signs for this disease include: anemia, which is a shortage of red blood cells, and pain when the flow of blood is blocked by the sickle-shaped cells. The most common signs for anemia are: paleness, fatigue, jaundice, and shortness of breath. The pain felt with Sickle Cell anemia can either be acute, which is very sudden and lasts from a few hours to a few days or chronic which can last from three to six months or longer. Hand-foot syndrome is another symptom. This is when the blood vessels to the hands and feet are blocked which can cause pain, swelling, and a fever. Other symptoms include: eye problems or blindness, infections because the spleen is unable to perform its job, and acute chest syndrome which is a life threatening problem that is caused when sickle cells are trapped in the lungs. There are many more symptoms such as: delayed growth and puberty in children, ulcers or sores on the legs, strokes, gallstones, and priapism which is when males with this disease develop a painful and unwanted erection. As of right now, there isn't a real cure for sickle cell anemia. For pain the doctors give the patients acetaminophen, anti-inflammatory drugs, or opioids like morphine, oxycodone, or hydrocodone. Another way to treat sickle cell anemia is a bone marrow transplant. However, very few people have matched donors.

Over 70,000 people in the United States are estimated to have sickle cell anemia. With good health care, the many people live forty to fifty years or longer, have fairly normal lives, and are in reasonably