Red blood cells, or red blood cells, are blood cells that are primarily responsible for the transport of oxygen from the lungs to the tissues of other organs, as well as for the removal of carbon dioxide from the human body. Hemolytic anemia is a very dangerous condition of the body, which is primarily associated with a violation of the structure of red blood cells and their premature death.
Hemolytic anemia: causes
In modern medicine, it is customary to distinguish two main groups of such diseases - these are congenital and acquired forms of the disease. Congenital anemia is in most cases hereditary diseases that are associated with the abnormal structure of the red blood cell wall, the uncharacteristic composition or shape of these cells. As for acquired diseases of this kind, they arise as a result of the influence of a number of environmental factors.
For example, acquired hemolytic anemia may result from mechanical damage to red blood cells or from exposure to body antibodies. But most often this condition develops when exposed to chemical elements, including some plant poisons and substances of animal origin.
Chemical toxins can affect the protein or lipid components of the cell wall, thereby changing the structure of red blood cells and causing their premature destruction. In addition, some substances affect the enzymatic composition of red bodies, thus changing the reactions inside the cell, in particular, the synthesis and modification of hemoglobin, which, in fact, is responsible for the binding of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
As already mentioned, sometimes red blood cells are destroyed as a result of exposure to their own antibodies - this is autoimmune hemolytic anemia. During such a disease, as a result of a malfunction of the immune system, the body produces antibodies that prematurely destroy its own and completely healthy blood cells. The most commonly acquired hemolytic anemia occurs against the background of another systemic disease.
Hemolytic anemia: symptoms and diagnostic methods
The signs of such a disease directly depend on the form of the disease and the cause of its development. For example, hereditary forms of the disease appear differently than acquired ones. In most cases, congenital hemolytic anemia is characterized by periods of relative well-being and exacerbation of the disease, or hemolytic crisis. During such a crisis, a sick person, as a rule, feels the characteristic signs of anemia - severe weakness, dizziness. In some forms, even an increase in temperature is observed.
Quite often, hemolytic anemia is accompanied by severe nausea, turning into vomiting, abdominal pain. Red blood cells are destroyed mainly in the spleen or liver. That is why in such patients the size of the spleen is significantly increased, sometimes the shape of the liver also changes. It can be noted and excessive pallor of the skin. In almost all patients, jaundice is observed, which can be either imperceptible or pronounced.
All these symptoms are very important for the diagnosis of the disease. In addition, the form, stage of development of the disease and its cause are determined using a thorough laboratory analysis of the blood of a sick person.
Treatments for hemolytic anemia
The choice of method depends on the form of anemia. For example, with hereditary diseases, treatment is reduced to maintaining the health of the patient during a crisis.
In the event that anemia is caused by poisoning ( arsenic poisoning is most often diagnosed ), the first thing to do is to remove the toxin from the body as quickly as possible. After this, the patient is prescribed treatment, which is aimed at restoring all organ systems.