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Sickle cell anemia is the most common genetic disease in the African-American community about 2 in 1000 babies will inherit the disease from their parents. Sickle cell anemia also occurs in the Mediterranean, the Middle East, India, and the Far East, although much less commonly. Beginning in childhood, sickle cell patients get episodes of bony
Polycythemia is a Common Blood Problem Polycythemia is a disorder of excess red cells in blood. It is the opposite of anemia, which is a red cell deficit. A simple blood test called a hemogram will determine if red cells are in excess or deficient. Symptoms of excess red cells, or polycythemia, include tingling of
ITP: A Disorder of Blood Platelets Platelets are tiny blood cells involved in blood clotting. They are vital to stop bleeding when we get cut or otherwise injured. If the number of platelets gets too low, a person may have bruising or easy bleeding. Blood platelets become scarce for many reasons, including infection, cirrhosis, problems
Blood Can Be Too Thin or Too Thick Blood that is too thick can lead to blood clots, and blood that is too thin can lead to easy bruising or bleeding. Problems with blood thickness can occur from birth, or develop later in life. Blood thickness may be affected by foods, drugs, and various medical
Anemia Causes Weakness Anemia is a blood condition that can make you feel weak. Anyone who has become fatigued can take a simple blood test to find out if they have anemia. Anemia occurs when there are not enough red cells in blood to carry oxygen to the body’s tissues. Anemia can cause shortness of
A new vaccine to prevent cervical cancer has recently been developed by the Pharmaceutical Industry. Merck and Company has developed a vaccine to prevent nearly all cases of cervical cancer in women. This vaccine is only effective in women not previously exposed human papilloma virus, the virus that causes cervical cancer. A recent clinical trial
How Medicine Works Over-the-counter and prescription medicines are ubiquitous in our society, and are used for almost every ailment. Most afflictions have a medicine to heal the problem or treat the symptom. It may be helpful to understand how medicines work in our body. All medications are chemicals that, after being ingested, travel to a
For many years women were advised by their physicians to take hormone pills to avoid the consequences of menopause. Estrogen hormones were prescribed in the belief that they would reduce the risk of osteoporosis and heart disease, and would alleviate hot flashes and other unpleasant symptoms of menopause. New medical studies have radically altered the
A family medical history is important because many medical problems run in families. Inherited diseases could strike early in childhood, or later in life. Conditions passed down the bloodline include diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Other diseases, including most infections, are not passed on. An understanding of heredity will clarify how these diseases are passed