Introduction
The core function of the red blood cells is to carry oxygen from the lungs to body tissues and for transporting carbon dioxide from the body tissue to the lungs. This transportation of oxygen is achieved through hemoglobin that are contained in the red blood cells. The count of red blood cells is done through counting the total number of the red blood cells to the ration of the amount of blood measured in millimeters. The red blood cells are for formed through a process known as erthyropoiesis. Deficiency of enough red blood cell causes anemia and other related diseases or conditions.
About red blood cells
Anemia is a condition where the bone marrow does not produce enough red blood cells. Anemia as a condition is characterised by various signs and symptoms ranging from one person to the other. One of the signs is characterised with palpitation. Lack or low level f platelet count is also a major symptom for anemia. Hermorrhage increase risk is a sign of anemia. There are other various sign and symptom of anemia including low reticulocyte count in the body among the others mentioned before. The main known cause of anemia is the idiopathic and also autoimmune disorder in which white blood cells attack the bone marrow. One can be at risk of anemia if over exposed to toxins such as benzene or with excessive use of particular drugs such as carbamazepine, felbamate, phenytoin, quinine and phenylbutazone. Many of these drugs are chracterised to aplasia. Theexposure to radiation from radio active emmiting devices can also cause anemia. The diagnosis of anemia can be done through the examination of the bone marrow. Before the procedure, the patient should undergo other blood tests to determine the actual acute level of the red blood cell. This examination is done through a complete blood count in the medical laboratory.
Treatment
The treatment of anemia can be done through a lot of procedures characterised by treating the immune-mediation that involves suppression of the body immune system, an effect achieved by daily taking of dosage medicine by the patient. Another potential cure of anemia can be to replace the bone marrow with new ones through the transplanting. This procedure is done so as to replace the failing bone marrow cells giving the patient a new immune system characterised with red blood cells and platelets. Medical therapy of anemia is usually characterised by a very short course of anti-thymocyte globulin or anti-lymphocyte globulin and other months of treatment with cyclosporin to modulate the immune system. Mild chemotherapy with agents such for instance cyclophosphamide and vincristine may also be workable. Antibody therapy, targeting the T-cells in the body, which are believed to attack the bone marrow. Steroids are generally ineffective, though are often used to combat serum sickness caused by anti-thymocyte globulin use.
Word of advice
Untreated anemia is a sickness that may lead to death of the patient. If the disease is diagnosed correctly, then the survival rate may long and many patients live well beyond that length of time.
