Hemolytic anemia, a medical condition which causes the premature destruction of red blood cells, can lead to cardiovascular collapse, heart disease and lung disease. One of the easiest ways to spot symptoms of hemolytic anemia is to check the...
Hemolytic anemias are red blood cell deficiencies caused by the premature destruction of these cells in the circulation. The normal circulatory lifespan of a red blood cell is approximately 120 days. Premature hemolysis--the term for red blood...
Numerous symptoms are associated with glutathione deficiency. According to the Genetics Home Reference website, glutathione synthetase deficiency is a disorder that prevents the production of glutathione -- an important molecule involved in...
Bilirubin is the principal breakdown product of red blood cells. The liver processes bilirubin into bile, which is transported by the biliary network of tubes within the liver to the gallbladder. The gallbladder releases bile into the small...
The immune system has been described as an army of white blood cells that protect our bodies from antigens. Antigens are harmful substances like bacteria, viruses, cancer cells, toxins, or foreign blood or tissue. In people who have an autoimmune...
Anemia is the condition in which there are not enough red blood cells in the blood. Red blood cells are the cells that carry oxygen throughout the body. Anemia can result from destruction of red blood cells, a process called hemolysis. Because red...
Metabolic disorders are inherited genetic defects that affect the way you metabolize your food. They affect about one in every 4,000 Americans, according to the Mayo Clinic. Metabolism is the process by which your body acquires energy from food....
The liver and spleen share common blood circulation pathways. Due to the circulatory link between the liver and spleen, many disease processes affect both organs. Infections, blood cell diseases, liver diseases, cancer and inherited disorders can...
Glutathione deficiency is known as glutathione synthetase deficiency. It is a rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder with only 70 known cases in the world, according to Genetics Home Reference. Parents undergo genetic testing to determine the...
Lipitor, which has the generic name atorvastatin calcium, belongs to a class of cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins. Lipitor is used with a low-fat diet to lower bad cholesterol and triglycerides in your blood. Lowering high cholesterol...
Bilirubin is a product that is formed when red blood cells are broken down or destroyed. It is an orange-yellow pigment that is responsible for the color associated with jaundice. Along with cholesterol and bile acids, bilirubin makes up bile,...
An antibody refers to a type of protein made in the body to defend the body against infection. This may be a bacterial, fungal or parasitic infection. Sometimes, these antibodies can go on overdrive and lead to an autoimmune disease in which they...
Gallstones are small hard accumulations of substances within the gallbladder or in the bile duct system. The two most common classifications of gallstones are cholesterol gallstones and pigment gallstones, reports National Digestive Diseases...
Experiencing chills in a warm environment is a result of the muscles quickly contracting and relaxing in an attempt to increase the body’s temperature. Chills often accompany or preclude fever but may also be symptomatic of nonfever-related...
Glutathione is a substance your body uses to help prevent cell damage while your body is producing energy. If your stores of glutathione are depleted, you may have a medical condition referred to as glutathione synthetase deficiency. The disorder...
Spleen enlargement--sometimes referred to as splenomegaly--occurs when a large number of red blood cells and platelets get trapped inside the spleen, causing it to grow to an abnormal size. According to the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library, an...
An enlarged spleen, known as a splenomegaly, can result from a variety of conditions including liver disease, cancers and infections, according to MayoClinic.com. A healthy spleen filters blood of old blood cells, produces white blood cells that...
Red blood cells are the most abundant cell in the blood stream and are mostly responsible for transporting oxygen to the tissues. The cells propagate a series of chemical reactions to survive -- in other words, they have a metabolism....
Autoimmune diseases are a group of diseases in which the body's immune system attacks normal tissues within the body. One of the first steps in the development of the immune system is that each immune cell is created knowing the difference between...
Mycoplasma pneumonia is a lung infection caused by the mycoplasma pneumoniae bacteria. This infection affects people of all ages, but it typically arises in school-aged children and people under age 40, according to MedlinePlus. Individuals who...
Pyruvate kinase deficiency is an inherited blood disorder caused by defects in the pyruvate kinase enzyme. The enzyme is essential for healthy red blood cells in the body. Anemia is the primary complication of pyruvate kinase deficiency, and this...
Iron is an essential trace mineral that allows your body to create hemoglobin, the protein center of your red blood cells. Normally, about 70 percent of the iron in your body is located in the hemoglobin of your red blood cells. Too much iron in...
Platelets are colorless blood cells that are essential for the clotting of blood. Platelets stop blood loss by clumping and plugging holes in blood vessels. A high platelet count, also known as thrombocytosis, may cause few symptoms, but can lead...
When healthy, your spleen is a small organ about the size of a fist located on the left side of your abdomen. A spleen becomes enlarged due to several conditions. Although specific foods will not directly shrink a spleen, some of the conditions...
According to the American Pregnancy Association, women between weeks six and 24 of a pregnancy, are more susceptible to urinary tract infections. UTIs are caused by bacterial infection of the bladder and can cause painful symptoms such as burning...
Fava beans are a type of legume, similar in appearance to green peas, but much larger and flatter. Fava beans are called by many different names in different parts of the world, including broad beans, Windsor beans, pigeon beans, horse beans or...
Jaundice is a condition in which the skin and the whites of the eyes are yellowed. Jaundice appears when the normal process of red blood cell death and elimination encounters a problem. MedlinePlus explains that, normally, about 1 percent of red...
Jaundice occurs when your skin, mucous membranes or eyes turn yellow from a yellow pigmented substance called bilirubin. About 1 percent of your red blood cells retire each day, states the University of Maryland Medical Center. These retiring...
