answer:The immediate cause of hemolytic anemia is the early destruction of red blood cells. This means that red blood cells are destroyed and removed from the bloodstream before their normal lifespan is over. Many diseases, conditions, and factors can cause the body to destroy its red blood cells. These causes can be inherited or acquired. "Inherited" means your parents passed the gene for the condition on to you. "Acquired" means you aren't born with the condition, but you develop it. Sometimes, the cause of hemolytic anemia isn't known. For more information about the specific causes of hemolytic anemia, go to "Types of Hemolytic Anemia." Inherited Hemolytic Anemias In inherited hemolytic anemias, the genes that control how red blood cells are made are faulty. You can get a faulty red blood cell gene from one or both of your parents. Different types of faulty genes cause different types of inherited hemolytic anemia. However, in each type, the body makes abnormal red blood cells. The problem with the red blood cells may involve the hemoglobin, cell membrane, or enzymes that maintain healthy red blood cells. The abnormal cells may be fragile and break down while moving through the bloodstream. If this happens, an organ called the spleen may remove the cell debris from the bloodstream. Acquired Hemolytic Anemias In acquired hemolytic anemias, the body makes normal red blood cells. However, a disease, condition, or other factor destroys the cells. Examples of conditions that can destroy the red blood cells include: Immune disorders Infections Reactions to medicines or blood transfusions Hypersplenism (HI-per-SPLEEN-izm; an enlarged spleen)

answer:Hemolytic anemia can affect people of all ages and races and both sexes. Some types of hemolytic anemia are more likely to occur in certain populations than others. For example, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency mostly affects males of African or Mediterranean descent. In the United States, the condition is more common among African Americans than Caucasians. In the United States, sickle cell anemia mainly affects African Americans.

answer:The signs and symptoms of hemolytic anemia will depend on the type and severity of the disease. People who have mild hemolytic anemia often have no signs or symptoms. More severe hemolytic anemia may cause many signs and symptoms, and they may be serious. Many of the signs and symptoms of hemolytic anemia apply to all types of anemia. Signs and Symptoms of Anemia The most common symptom of all types of anemia is fatigue (tiredness). Fatigue occurs because your body doesn't have enough red blood cells to carry oxygen to its various parts. A low red blood cell count also can cause shortness of breath, dizziness, headache, coldness in your hands and feet, pale skin, and chest pain. A lack of red blood cells also means that your heart has to work harder to move oxygen-rich blood through your body. This can lead to arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats), a heart murmur, an enlarged heart, or even heart failure. Signs and Symptoms of Hemolytic Anemia Jaundice Jaundice refers to a yellowish color of the skin or whites of the eyes. When red blood cells die, they release hemoglobin into the bloodstream. The hemoglobin is broken down into a compound called bilirubin, which gives the skin and eyes a yellowish color. Bilirubin also causes urine to be dark yellow or brown. Pain in the Upper Abdomen Gallstones or an enlarged spleen may cause pain in the upper abdomen. High levels of bilirubin and cholesterol (from the breakdown of red blood cells) can form into stones in the gallbladder. These stones can be painful. The spleen is an organ in the abdomen that helps fight infection and filters out old or damaged blood cells. In hemolytic anemia, the spleen may be enlarged, which can be painful. Leg Ulcers and Pain In people who have sickle cell anemia, the sickle-shaped cells can clog small blood vessels and block blood flow. This can cause leg sores and pain throughout the body. A Severe Reaction to a Blood Transfusion You may develop hemolytic anemia due to a blood transfusion. This can happen if the transfused blood is a different blood type than your blood. Signs and symptoms of a severe reaction to a transfusion include fever, chills, low blood pressure, and shock. (Shock is a life-threatening condition that occurs if the body isn't getting enough blood flow.)

answer:Your doctor will diagnose hemolytic anemia based on your medical and family histories, a physical exam, and test results. Specialists Involved Primary care doctors, such as a family doctor or pediatrician, may help diagnose and treat hemolytic anemia. Your primary care doctor also may refer you to a hematologist. This is a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating blood diseases and disorders. Doctors and clinics that specialize in treating inherited blood disorders, such as sickle cell anemia and thalassemias, also may be involved. If your hemolytic anemia is inherited, you may want to consult a genetic counselor. A counselor can help you understand your risk of having a child who has the condition. He or she also can explain the choices that are available to you. Medical and Family Histories To find the cause and severity of hemolytic anemia, your doctor may ask detailed questions about your symptoms, personal medical history, and your family medical history. He or she may ask whether: You or anyone in your family has had problems with anemia You've recently had any illnesses or medical conditions You take any medicines, and which ones You've been exposed to certain chemicals or substances You have an artificial heart valve or other medical device that could damage your red blood cells Physical Exam Your doctor will do a physical exam to check for signs of hemolytic anemia. He or she will try to find out how severe the condition is and what's causing it. The exam may include: Checking for jaundice (a yellowish color of the skin or whites of the eyes) Listening to your heart for rapid or irregular heartbeats Listening for rapid or uneven breathing Feeling your abdomen to check the size of your spleen Doing a pelvic and rectal exam to check for internal bleeding Diagnostic Tests and Procedures Many tests are used to diagnose hemolytic anemia. These tests can help confirm a diagnosis, look for a cause, and find out how severe the condition is. Complete Blood Count Often, the first test used to diagnose anemia is a complete blood count (CBC). The CBC measures many parts of your blood. This test checks your hemoglobin and hematocrit (hee-MAT-oh-crit) levels. Hemoglobin is an iron-rich protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to the body. Hematocrit is a measure of how much space red blood cells take up in your blood. A low level of hemoglobin or hematocrit is a sign of anemia. The normal range of these levels may vary in certain racial and ethnic populations. Your doctor can explain your test results to you. The CBC also checks the number of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in your blood. Abnormal results may be a sign of hemolytic anemia, a different blood disorder, an infection, or another condition. Finally, the CBC looks at mean corpuscular (kor-PUS-kyu-lar) volume (MCV). MCV is a measure of the average size of your red blood cells. The results may be a clue as to the cause of your anemia. Other Blood Tests If the CBC results confirm that you have anemia, you may need other blood tests to find out what type of anemia you have and how severe it is. Reticulocyte count. A reticulocyte (re-TIK-u-lo-site) count measures the number of young red blood cells in your blood. The test shows whether your bone marrow is making red blood cells at the correct rate. People who have hemolytic anemia usually have high reticulocyte counts because their bone marrow is working hard to replace the destroyed red blood cells. Peripheral smear. For this test, your doctor will look at your red blood cells through a microscope. Some types of hemolytic anemia change the normal shape of red blood cells. Coombs' test. This test can show whether your body is making antibodies (proteins) to destroy red blood cells. Haptoglobin, bilirubin, and liver function tests. When red blood cells break down, they release hemoglobin into the bloodstream. The hemoglobin combines with a chemical called haptoglobin. A low level of haptoglobin in the bloodstream is a sign of hemolytic anemia. Hemoglobin is broken down into a compound called bilirubin. High levels of bilirubin in the bloodstream may be a sign of hemolytic anemia. High levels of this compound also occur with some liver and gallbladder diseases. Thus, you may need liver function tests to find out what's causing the high bilirubin levels. Hemoglobin electrophoresis. This test looks at the different types of hemoglobin in your blood. It can help diagnose the type of anemia you have. Testing for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). In PNH, the red blood cells are missing certain proteins. The test for PNH can detect red blood cells that are missing these proteins. Osmotic fragility test. This test looks for red blood cells that are more fragile than normal. These cells may be a sign of hereditary spherocytosis (an inherited type of hemolytic anemia). Testing for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency. In G6PD deficiency, the red blood cells are missing an important enzyme called G6PD. The test for G6PD deficiency looks for this enzyme in a sample of blood. Urine Test A urine test will look for the presence of free hemoglobin (a protein that carries oxygen in the blood) and iron. Bone Marrow Tests Bone marrow tests show whether your bone marrow is healthy and making enough blood cells. The two bone marrow tests are aspiration (as-pi-RA-shun) and biopsy. For a bone marrow aspiration, your doctor removes a small amount of fluid bone marrow through a needle. The sample is examined under a microscope to check for faulty cells. A bone marrow biopsy may be done at the same time as an aspiration or afterward. For this test, your doctor removes a small amount of bone marrow tissue through a needle. The tissue is examined to check the number and type of cells in the bone marrow. You may not need bone marrow tests if blood tests show what's causing your hemolytic anemia. Tests for Other Causes of Anemia Because anemia has many causes, you may have tests for conditions such as: Kidney failure Lead poisoning Vitamin or iron deficiency Newborn Testing for Sickle Cell Anemia and G6PD Deficiency All States mandate screening for sickle cell anemia as part of their newborn screening programs. Some States also mandate screening for G6PD deficiency. These inherited types of hemolytic anemia can be detected with routine blood tests. Diagnosing these conditions as early as possible is important so that children can get proper treatment.