Sickle Cell Anemia, A Simple Guide To The Condition, Treatment And Related Conditions

By Kenneth Kee

Sickle cell anemia is the most common form of sickle cell disease (SCD).
SCD is a serious disorder in which the body makes sickle-shaped red blood cells.
Sickle-shaped means that the red blood cells are shaped like a crescent.
Sickle cells contain abnormal hemoglobin called sickle hemoglobin or hemoglobin S.
Sickle hemoglobin causes the cells to develop a sickle or crescent, shape.
Sickle cells are stiff and sticky.
They tend to block blood flow in the blood vessels of the limbs and organs.
Blocked blood flow can cause pain and organ damage.
It can also raise the risk for infection.
Anemia is a condition in which the blood has a lower than normal number of red blood cells and lower hemoglobin.
In sickle cell anemia, the abnormal sickle cells usually die after only about 10 to 20 days unlike the 120 days of normal red blood cell.
The bone marrow cannot make new red blood cells fast enough to replace the dying ones.
Sickle cell anemia is an inherited, lifelong disease.
The person inherits two genes for sickle hemoglobin one from each parent.
People who inherit a sickle hemoglobin gene from one parent and a normal gene from the other parent have a condition called sickle cell trait.
Sickle cell trait is different than sickle cell anemia.
People who have sickle cell trait do not have the disease.
Like people who have sickle cell anemia, people who have sickle cell trait can pass the sickle hemoglobin gene to their children.
Sickle cell anemia is present at birth but many infants do not show any signs until after 4 months of age.
The most common signs and symptoms are linked to anemia and pain.
The most common symptom of anemia is fatigue (feeling tired or weak).
There is also:
a. Shortness of breath
b. Dizziness
c. Headaches
d. Coldness in the hands and feet
e. Paler than normal skin or mucous membranes (the tissue that lines the nose, mouth, and other organs and body cavities)
f. Jaundice
Sudden pain throughout the body is a common symptom of sickle cell anemia.
This pain is called a sickle cell crisis.
Sickle cell crises often affect the bones, lungs, abdomen, and joints.
These crises occur when sickled red blood cells block blood flow to the limbs and organs.
This can cause pain and organ damage.
Chronic pain often lasts for weeks or months and can be hard to bear and mentally draining
A simple blood test done at any time during a person's lifespan can detect whether he or she has sickle hemoglobin.
Doctors also can diagnose sickle cell disease before and after birth.
Sickle cell anemia has no widely available cure.
However treatments can help relieve symptoms and treat complications.
The goals of treating sickle cell anemia are to relieve pain; prevent infections, organ damage, and strokes; and control complications
Blood and marrow stem cell transplants may offer a cure for a small number of people who have sickle cell anemia.
Severe sickle cell anemia can be treated with a medicine called hydroxyurea.
This medicine prompts the body to make fetal hemoglobin
New medicine are:
Decitabine.
Adenosine A2a receptor agonists
TABLE OF CONTENT
Introduction
Chapter 1 Sickle Cell Anemia
Chapter 2 More Facts about Sickle Cell Anemia
Chapter 3 Treatment of Sickle Cell Anemia
Chapter 4 Hemolytic Anemia
Chapter 5 G6PD Deficiency
Chapter 6 Thalassemia
Epilogue

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kenneth Kee
• Release date: Dec 11, 2016
• ISBN: 9781370497911

Kenneth Kee

Medical doctor since 1972.Started Kee Clinic in 1974 at 15 Holland Dr #03-102, relocated to 36 Holland Dr #01-10 in 2009.Did my M.Sc (Health Management ) in 1991 and Ph.D (Healthcare Administration) in 1993.Dr Kenneth Kee is still working as a family doctor at the age of 74However he has reduced his consultation hours to 3 hours in the morning and 2 hours inthe afternoon.He first started writing free blogs on medical disorders seen in the clinic in 2007 on http://kennethkee.blogspot.com.His purpose in writing these simple guides was for the health education of his patients which is also his dissertation for his Ph.D (Healthcare Administration). He then wrote an autobiography account of his journey as a medical student to family doctor on his other blog http://afamilydoctorstale.blogspot.comThis autobiography account “A Family Doctor’s Tale” was combined with his early “A Simple Guide to Medical Disorders” into a new Wordpress Blog “A Family Doctor’s Tale” on http://ken-med.com.From which many free articles from the blog was taken and put together into 1000 eBooks.He apologized for typos and spelling mistakes in his earlier books.He will endeavor to improve the writing in futures.Some people have complained that the simple guides are too simple.For their information they are made simple in order to educate the patients.The later books go into more details of medical disorders.He has published 1000 eBooks on various subjects on health, 1 autobiography of his medical journey, another on the autobiography of a Cancer survivor, 2 children stories and one how to study for his nephew and grand-daughter.The purpose of these simple guides is to educate patient on health disorders and not meant as textbooks.He does not do any night duty since 2000 ever since Dr Tan had his second stroke.His clinic is now relocated to the Buona Vista Community Centre.The 2 units of his original clinic are being demolished to make way for a new Shopping Mall.He is now doing some blogging and internet surfing (bulletin boards since the 1980's) startingwith the Apple computer and going to PC.The entire PC is upgraded by himself from XT to the present Pentium duo core.The present Intel i7 CPU is out of reach at the moment because the CPU is still expensive.He is also into DIY changing his own toilet cistern and other electric appliance.His hunger for knowledge has not abated and he is a lifelong learner.The children have all grown up and there are 2 grandchildren who are even more technically advanced than the grandfather where mobile phones are concerned.This book is taken from some of the many articles in his blog (now with 740 posts) A Family Doctor’s Tale.Dr Kee is the author of:"A Family Doctor's Tale""Life Lessons Learned From The Study And Practice Of Medicine""Case Notes From A Family Doctor"

Book preview

Sickle Cell

Anemia,

A

Simple

Guide

To

The Condition,

Treatment

And

Related Conditions

by

Dr Kenneth Kee

M.B.,B.S. (Singapore)

Ph.D (Healthcare Administration)

Copyright Kenneth Kee 2014 Smashwords Edition

Published By Kenneth Kee at Smashwords.com

Dedication

This book is dedicated

to my wife Dorothy

and my children

Carolyn, Grace

and Kelvin

This book describes the Sickle Cell Anemia, Treatment and Related Diseases or in vernacular terms

(What You Need to Treat and Cope with Sickle Cell Anemia)

This eBook is licensed for the personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader.

If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy.

Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Introduction

Ode To Sickle cell anemia

Sickle cell anemia is an inherited disorder of the Red blood cells

It produces an abnormal Hemoglobin which makes the patient unwell

The patients usually inherit the disease from his sickle cell trait parents

If both parents are affected, having sickle cell anemia child is 25 per cent

Sickle cells are stiff and sticky, blocking blood flow and causing organ damage

Sickle hemoglobin causes the cells to develop a sickle or crescent shape.

The abnormal hemoglobin is called Hemoglobin S

This can be detected by a special hemoglobin test

Complications may be pulmonary hypertension and infections

There may be priapism of penis which can caused prolonged erections

The result of complications is a shorter life span

Unless there is a successful marrow transplant

A person with sickle cell anemia will need blood transfusions throughout life.

At present a successful bone marrow transplant is the only hope to survive.

Sickle cell trait patients will have mild anemia

He or she will be well compared to the sickle cell anemia

-An original poem by Kenneth Kee

Interesting Tips about the Sickle cell anemia

A Healthy Lifestyle

1. Take a well Balanced Diet

2. Sickle cell anemia has no widely available cure.

However treatments can help relieve symptoms and treat complications.

The goals of treating sickle cell anemia are to relieve pain; prevent infections, organ damage, and strokes; and control complications (if they occur).

Blood and marrow stem cell transplants may offer a cure for a small number of people who have sickle cell anemia.

The usual treatments for acute (rapid-onset) pain are fluids, medicines, and oxygen therapy (if the oxygen level is low).

Fluids help prevent dehydration, a condition in which the body does not have enough fluids.

Severe sickle cell anemia can be treated with a medicine called hydroxyurea.

This medicine prompts the body to make fetal hemoglobin.

Hydroxyurea can reduce the number of white blood cells in the blood, which can raise the risk for infections.

Blood transfusions are commonly used to treat worsening anemia and sickle cell complications.

3. Keep bones and body strong

Bone marrow produces our blood

Eat foods rich in calcium like yogurt, cheese, milk, and dark green vegetables.

Eat foods rich in Vitamin D, like eggs, fatty fish, cereal, and fortified milk.

Eat food rich in Vitamins B and C such as green vegetables and fruits

Zinc and other minerals are important to the body

4. Get enough rest and Sleep

Avoid stress and tension

5. Exercise and stay active.

It is best to do weight-bearing exercise such as walking, jogging, stair climbing, dancing, or lifting weights for 2½ hours a week.

One way to do this is to be active 30 minutes a day at least 5 days a week.

Begin slowly especially if a person has not been active.

6. Do not drink more than 2 alcohol drinks a day for a man or 1 alcohol drink a day for a woman.

Alcohol use also increases the chance of falling and breaking a bone.

Alcohol can affect the neurons and brain cells.

7. Stop or do not begin smoking.

It also interferes with blood supply and healing.

Chapter 1

Sickle cell anemia

What is Sickle cell anemia?

Sickle cell anemia is the most common form of sickle cell disease (SCD).

SCD is a serious disorder in which the body makes sickle-shaped red blood cells.

Sickle-shaped means that the red blood cells are shaped like a crescent.

Normal red blood cells are disc-shaped and look like doughnuts without holes in the center.

They move easily through the blood vessels.

Red blood cells contain an iron-rich protein called hemoglobin.

This protein carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.

Sickle cells contain abnormal hemoglobin called sickle hemoglobin or hemoglobin S.

Sickle hemoglobin causes the cells to develop a sickle or crescent, shape.

Sickle cells are stiff and sticky.

They tend to block blood flow in the blood vessels of the limbs and organs.

Blocked blood flow can cause pain and organ damage.

It can also raise the risk for infection.

Anemia is a condition in which the blood has a lower than normal number of red blood cells.

Sickle cell anemia is one type of anemia.

This condition also can occur if the red blood cells do not contain enough hemoglobin.

Red blood cells are made in the spongy marrow inside the larger bones of the body.

Bone marrow is always making new red blood cells to replace old ones.

Normal red blood cells live about 120 days in the bloodstream and then die.

They carry oxygen and remove carbon dioxide (a waste product) from the body.

In sickle cell anemia, the abnormal sickle cells usually die after only about 10 to 20 days.

The bone marrow cannot make new red blood cells fast enough to replace the dying ones.

What are the causes of Sickle cell anemia?

Sickle cell anemia is an inherited, lifelong disease.

People who have the disease are born with it.

They inherit two genes for sickle hemoglobin one from each parent.

People who inherit a sickle hemoglobin gene from one parent and a normal gene from the other parent have a condition called sickle cell trait.

Sickle cell trait is different than sickle cell anemia.

People who have sickle cell trait do not have the disease.

Like people who have sickle cell anemia, people who have sickle cell trait can pass the sickle hemoglobin gene to their children.

Sickle hemoglobin causes red blood cells to develop a sickle, or crescent, shape.

They tend to block blood flow in the blood vessels of the limbs and organs.

Blocked blood flow can cause pain and organ damage. It can also raise the risk for infection.

Sickle Cell Trait

People who inherit a sickle hemoglobin gene from one parent and a normal gene from the other parent have sickle cell trait.

Their bodies make both sickle hemoglobin and normal hemoglobin.

People who have sickle cell trait usually have few, if any, symptoms and lead normal lives.

However some people may have medical complications.

People who have sickle cell trait can pass the sickle hemoglobin gene to their children.

Who Is at Risk for Sickle Cell Anemia?

Sickle cell anemia is most common in people whose families come from Africa, South or Central America (especially Panama), Caribbean islands, Mediterranean countries (such as Turkey, Greece, and Italy), India, and Saudi Arabia.

In the United States, it's estimated that sickle cell anemia affects 70,000–100,000 people, mainly African Americans.