Sickle cell anemia is a genetic disease that affects more than 70,000 Americans. The disease is caused by the production of abnormal hemoglobin, which is able to connect to itself and make long chains. As a result, red blood cells lose their...
Thalassemia is an inherited disease in which the body makes abnormal hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is composed of two alpha and two beta subunits. A deficiency in either type is abnormal and leads to thalassemia. The altered hemoglobin is produced...
A cell mutation is an accidental change in the genetic code, or DNA. Most mutations cause a protein to be missing or malformed. Some genetic mutations are inherited, while others occur as a result of environmental factors, such as UV radiation,...
Sickle cell anemia is a heritable disease affecting hemoglobin, the molecule in red blood cells responsible for carrying oxygen throughout the body. The presence of an abnormal hemoglobin protein causes red blood cells to take on a stiff, curved...
Red blood cells contain a protein called hemoglobin, which allows them to carry oxygen to tissues. Mutations in hemoglobin, which results in a condition known as thalassemia, cause red blood cells to be broken down more quickly and made more...
Sickle cell disease is a group of inherited blood disorders that causes a structural abnormality in most or all of the hemoglobin in the red blood cells (RBCs). Sickle cell anemia is the most common of the sickle cell diseases and most frequently...
Anemia is the medical term for a low red blood cell count. The bone marrow produces red blood cells (RBCs), which normally remain in the circulation for approximately three months. Diseases that decrease RBC production or shorten their lifespan in...
A blood test determines your hemoglobin level. It is a standard part of a complete blood count, or CBC, and is measured when you have a routine medical check-up. There is a direct correlation between hemoglobin levels and red blood cells. The...
Hemoglobin is a component of red blood cells that allows them to transport and distribute oxygen throughout your body and organs. Abnormal hemoglobin levels may indicate the presence of a serious illness. Without hemoglobin, red blood cells are...
Cold, bluish-purple feet can indicate poor circulation, but it is just one of several potential causes for the condition, the medical name for which is cyanosis. While cold and discolored feet and hands may mean you suffer from poor circulation,...
Rosehip oil is extracted from the fruit seeds of the wild rose bush plant called Rosa affinis rubiginosa. Most rosehip oil extracts are derived from the wild plants grown in the southern Andean Mountains, in Chile and Argentina. Rosehip oil is...
Genetic diseases are caused by gene mutations that lead to abnormalities or deficiencies of necessary proteins or enzymes. This, in turn, makes the tissues or organs dysfunctional. Some genetic disorders result from spontaneous mutations during...
The spleen sits directly above the stomach and under the ribs on the left side. It is approximately the size of a fist and is part of the lymphatic system, according to Medline Plus. The lymphatic system fights infection and keeps body fluids in...
Sickle cell anemia is an inherited disease that causes the body to produce sickle-shaped red blood cells. Sickle cells contain abnormal hemoglobin, the vital protein that carries oxygen, and live only 10 to 20 days. Normal red blood cells are...
Acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol, is a very common drug used to treat fever and minor aches according to Infomed. It is both an antipyretic and analgesic drug, which can be used to relieve pain experienced in colds, flu, toothaches,...
Exercising helps to improve blood flow to vital organs and improve your cardiovascular health. If you are experiencing symptoms such as blue fingers, fingernail beds, lips or skin when you exercise or overexert yourself, this could be a sign of a...
Electrophoresis is a laboratory procedure that separates molecules. The molecules are suspended in fluid and an electrical charge is introduced into the liquid. Electrophoresis is not a procedure that an individual will come in contact with unless...
Ammonium nitrate, chemical formula NH4NO3, comes in the form of colorless or white crystals. Although it has many useful applications, such as in fertilizer due to its high nitrogen content and in first aid cold packs for its endothermic reaction...
Anemia is a condition in which you have less than the normal number of red blood cells your body needs. Red blood cells contain hemoglobin, a protein that transports oxygen from the lungs to your body organs. If you have low levels of red blood...
If you have a child with the hemoglobin C trait, you can rest assured that he is not in immediate danger of health problems. The trait reflects a genetic characteristic that a child has inherited from his mother and father. It is not a disease of...
Hemoglobin is the molecule in red blood cells that delivers oxygen to tissues. Lab Tests Online notes that there are normal hemoglobin molecules as well as abnormal variants. Having high sugar circulating in the bloodstream can cause changes to...
People with anemia have less than the normal amount of red blood cells. Anemia is further differentiated by the size of the red blood cells that do exist. In normocytic anemia, patients do not have enough red blood cells, but the cells that they...
Blood contains a liquid portion, known as plasma, which consists of 90 percent water, according to the Franklin Institute. The plasma functions to carry the different types of blood cells, including red cells that carry oxygen, white cells that...
Sickle cell anemia is a recessive genetic disease that cannot be prevented or cured. This disease results in the body producing abnormal hemoglobin, the iron-rich and oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells or erythrocytes. Due to the defective...
Sickle cell disease, an inherited genetic disease, is characterized by abnormal hemoglobin production, which causes red blood cells to sickle, or change shape to resemble a "C" when exposed to low oxygen conditions. The abnormally shaped red blood...
Jaundice is a symptom of an underlying pathology and is not a disease. It clinically presents as a yellow discoloration of the skin, eyes and mucous membranes as a consequence of an abnormally increased bilirubin concentration in the blood plasma....
Pulse oximetry is a technique that uses a special device to measure the oxygen-carrying capacity of a component in your red blood cells called hemoglobin. Normal pulse oximetry readings typically indicate oxygen levels near maximum carrying...
Discoloration of the skin is a broad term that encompasses a wide range of skin-related symptoms. It can refer to a reddish rash, patchy dry spots, brown age spots and even drastic color changes such as those caused by certain chemicals, illnesses...
There are hundreds of diseases that can cause joint pain similar to that experienced by rheumatoid arthritis patients. Some conditions such as bursitis also cause inflamed, red or swollen joints but are not systemic. Rheumatoid arthritis and...
Sickle cell anemia is a blood disorder that results in decreased blood and oxygen flow. Learn about the different causes, symptoms, and treatments for Sickle Cell Anemia in this video.
