What is sickle cell anemia?

Answer 1

Sickle cell anemia is a disease passed down through families in which red blood cells are an abnormal crescent shape. Sickle cell anemia is a disorder of the erythrocytes (Red blood cells). It causes their normal biconcave shape to be replaced with that of a sickle or crescent. People with this disease have problems transporting oxygen throughout their bodies, as a result of this, they become fatigued easily and have rapid heart rates even when resting.

Answer 2

Sickle-cell disease (SCD), or sickle-cell anaemia (or anemia, SCA) or drepanocytosis, is an autosomal recessive genetic blood disorder with overdominance, characterized by red blood cells that assume an abnormal, rigid, sickle shape. Sickling decreases the cells' flexibility and results in a risk of various complications. The sickling occurs because of a mutation in the hemoglobin gene. Life expectancy is shortened. In 1994, in the US, the average life expectancy of persons with this condition was estimated to be 42 years in males and 48 years in females,[1] but today, thanks to better management of the disease, patients can live into their 50s or beyond.[2] In the UK, the current life expectancy is estimated to be 53-60 years of age.[3]

Answer 3

A misshapen red blood cell (RBC). Sickle cell-shaped RBCs occur in genetically predisposed people. It is an autosomal genetic blood disorder that causes a mutation in the hemoglobin gene which results in these inflexible and sticky crescent shaped cells. Because of their shape, that is so different from a normal doughnut-shaped RBC, and their sticky, rigid characteristics, they can get stuck and clogged and obstruct blood flow with resulting vessel and circulatory problems, pain, and shortened life span.

According to the US National Institute of Health's National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute:

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. The disease occurs in about 1 out of every 500 African American births. Sickle cell anemia also affects Hispanic Americans. The disease occurs in more than 1 out of every 36,000 Hispanic American births.

More than 2 million Americans have sickle cell trait. The condition occurs in about 1 in 12 African Americans.

Some studies have suggested that this genetic mutation is most prevalent in people with ancestry from the climates that commonly have malaria. It is hypothesized that this trait has beneficial effects and/or symptom ameliorating effects for malaria victims and has evolved in those groups as a mutation of the cells to assist in overcoming that parasitic disease.

Answer 4

bldon't know

blood diesease