Aplastic Anemia
What is it?
Aplastic anemia is a rare condition in which your bone marrow stops or dramatically reduces production of blood cells. This condition may be acute or chronic. Red blood cells contain hemoglobin, a protein responsible for carrying oxygen to the body’s tissues. When there aren't enough red blood cells, not enough oxygen is delivered to our cells. This may cause symptoms such as weakness, short of breath and more.
Aplastic anemia is caused due to bone marrow damage. There are many conditions that are known to damage your bone marrow though the cause for aplastic anemia often remains unknown. Some known causes for aplastic anemia include exposure to radiation or chemotherapy, anorexia, some viruses like EBV, HIV, parvovirus B19 and more.
27 Alikes with Aplastic Anemia
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Aplastic Anemia.
Additional names
This group contains additional names:
- Pancytopenia
- Red Blood Cell Aplasia
- Red cell aplasia
- Myelophthisis
Signs & symptoms
Symptoms of aplastic anemia are similar to those caused by other causes of anemia.
These include
Fatigue
Weakness
Shortness of breath
Pale skin
Fast heart beat
Irritability
Diagnosis
CBC (complete blood count)- All Types of anemia are firstly diagnosed by a blood test. The first test the doctor will use when anemia is suspected is a CBC. This test gives information about the different cells that circulate in your blood. It includes information about white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets.
If aplastic anemia is suspected, your doctor may want a bone marrow biopsy.
Treatment
Treatment depends on the severity of the anemia. Some mild forms do not require treatment. More severe forms may require blood transfusions or bone marrow transplantation. If a cause is determined, avoidance from the cause is crucial.
☝️ This is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult with your physician before making any medical decision.
Learn more about our editorial process for content accuracy.
Source of Information - We analyze big data of more than 23 million patients de-identified medical records from the following sources:
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