Trusted Resources: Evidence & Education
Scientific literature and patient education texts
Taking Control: Teens with Sickle Cell Disease
source: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
year: N/A
summary/abstract:Sickle cell disease is a blood disorder that affects red blood Cells (RBC). The main purpose of red blood cells is to deliver oxygen to the body. Blood delivers oxygen to all of the tissues in the body.
The part of the blood that carries oxygen is called hemoglobin. Sickle cell disease is a blood disorder that affects the hemoglobin (HEE-muh-glowbin) within the red blood cells. The main role of hemoglobin is to deliver oxygen to the cells of the body. People with sickle cell disease have red blood cells that contain mostly hemoglobin S, an abnormal type of hemoglobin. Sometimes these red blood cells become sickle (banana) shaped, and have trouble passing through small blood vessels.
Normal red blood cells are shaped like discs and are fl exible. They fl ow easily through the body’s blood vessels. Sickleshaped red blood cells are sticky, stiff, and rigid. They clog the body’s small blood vessels.
When sickle-shaped cells block small blood vessels, less blood can reach that part of the body. Tissue that does not receive a normal blood fl ow eventually becomes damaged. This is what causes some of the complications of sickle cell disease.
Related Content
-
Sickle cell disease: Challenges and progressDespite a long history of knowing the ge...
-
Iron, inflammation, and early death in adults with sickle cell diseaseRATIONALE: Patients with sickle cell dis...
-
With Cincinnati Children’s Hospital – What is Sickle Cell Trait?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDepyJP5...
-
Sickle Cell Speaks: Misconceptions About the Diseasehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSEEZj9o...
-
Sickle cell trait may not increase the risk of deathPeople who carry a gene for sickle cell ...
-
Healthcare advocates aim to better inform community on sickle cell realitiesOne in 2,400 are born with sickle cell d...
-
Debunking the Myths About Sickle Cell Diseasehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZMwkE-W...
To improve your experience on this site, we use cookies. This includes cookies essential for the basic functioning of our website, cookies for analytics purposes, and cookies enabling us to personalize site content. By clicking on 'Accept' or any content on this site, you agree that cookies can be placed. You may adjust your browser's cookie settings to suit your preferences. More Information
The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.