Erythrocye Pathologies Flashcards
(21 cards)
What is anaemia and what are the signs and symptoms?
A deficiency in haemoglobin.
S&S: fatigue, tachycardia, pallor, palpitations
What is iron-deficiency anaemia and the causes
Reduced concentration of haemoglobin in erythrocytes causing them to appear paler. Hypochromic microcytic anaemia
Causes: Deficient dietary intake Malabsorption Excessive blood loss Excess requirements (pregnancy/rapid child growth)
What are the signs of iron deficiency anaemia?
Koilynchia, angular stomatitis, glossitis, brittle hair, tachycardia
Define megaloblastic Anaemia
Characterised by large, immature and dysfunctional red blood cells
Folic acid & B12 are required for DNA synthesis
What are the causes of megaloblastic anaemia?
✅Deficient dietary intake of folic acid & folate
✅lack of intrinsic factor
✅malabsorption
✅drugs
What is hypo/aplastic anaemia and what are the causes, signs, symptoms and treatment?
Failure of haemopoiesis
Pancytopenia - absence of all three cells
Causes: idiopathic, congenital, secondary to drugs
S&S:
anaemia (pallor, headache, dyspnoea, palpitations.
Multiple infections
Easy bleeding
Treatment: bone marrow stem cell transplant, platelet/blood transfusion
What is haemolytic anaemia?
Excessive breakdown of RBCs. RBC life span 5 days
What is sickle cell anaemia and how is it caused?
Deficiency of the 2 alpha/2 beta formation of haemoglobin (HbS) and causes it to sickle up.
When HbS gives up oxygen to interstitial fluid it caused the erythrocyte to sickle up (crescent shape)
What causes sickle cell anaemia and its signs and symptoms?
✅Inherited recessive condition (substitution chromosome 21)
✅Afro-Caribbean
✅protect against malaria
S&S:
Usually begins 3-6 months
Same signs as anaemia
Splenomegaly and jaundice
Blood tests FBC and blood film.
What is thalassaemia and its signs and symptoms?
Thalassaemia is associated with a defect in synthesis of either the alpha or beta haemoglobin chain.
An inherited disease
S&S:
B-thalassaemia = starts when HbA production begins
A-thalassaemia = can be lethal in utero.
What is polycythaemia and its causes and signs and symptoms?
Clue: EPO on acid!
Excess production of erythrocytes resulting in increased blood viscosity, reduced blood flow and fish of thrombosis.
Causes:
physiological - high altitude
Pathological: unknown/genetic
Signs and symptoms;
arterial thrombosis: MI, pulmonary embolism, stroke
Venous thrombosis: DVT
Hypertension, pruritus, red skin, headaches, dizziness
Treat underlying cause. Prevent blood clots.
What is leukocytosis and causes?
Increase in the number of leukocytes.
Causes: leukaemia, response to infection
What is leukaemia?
Leukaemia is cancers of the bone marrow, characterised by an abnormal over production of leukocytes.
Results in suppressed production of erythrocytes and thrombocytes.
Describe and compare acute and chronic leukaemia?
Acute leukaemia: rapid onset, aggressive, immature cells
Chronic leukaemia: insidious onset. More differentiated cells.
Acute leukaemia Age: all ages Onset: sudden Leukaemic cells: immature (-blasts) Anaemia: prominent Thrombocytopenia: prominent Leukocyte count: variable Lymph node enlargement: mild Splenomegaly: mild
Chronic leukaemias: Age: usually adults Onset: insidious Leukaemic cells: mature Anaemia: mild Thrombocytopenia: mild Leukocyte count: increased Lymph node enlargement: prominent Splenomegaly: prominent
What are the 4 types of leukaemia?
What are the key signs and symptoms?
- Acute myelogenous leukaemia (AML)
- Acute lymphocytic leukaemia (ALL)
- Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML)
Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL)
S&S: malaise, anaemia (fatigue, pallor etc), frequent infections, easy bleeding/bruising
splenomegaly, enlarged lymph node, fever, weight loss
How would you diagnose and treat leukaemia?
FBC: anaemia, low thrombocytes, variable leukocyte count
Blood film
Bone marrow transplant
Allopathic treatment: chemotherapy, bone marrow transplant, radiotherapy, immunotherapy.
What is thrombocytopenia its signs and symptoms and causes?
Reduction in thrombocyte count
S&S: excessive bleeding, bruising, petechiae (small bleeding under skin)
Haematuria (blood in urine) haematemesis, (blood in vomit) bleeding gums PPH
Causes: leukaemia, congenital (from birth), radiation, drugs, chemo
Describe haemophilia? What are the two types?
A deficiency in clotting factors.
Haemophilia A: deficiency of clotting factor 8
Haemophilia B: deficiency of clotting factor 9
Cause: genetic. X linked recessive disorder. Usually affects 1 in 5000 males. Females normally carriers.
Haemophilia
When the mother carries the haemophilia gene and the father is unaffected
There is 50% chance that a son will have haemophilia. There is a 50% chance that a daughter will be a carrier
Haemophilia
When the father has haemophilia and the mother is unaffected
None of the sons will have haemophilia. All of the daughters will carry the haemophilia gene.
What is Von Wilebrand disease? (vWD)
What causes it and what are the signs and symptoms?
A blood coagulation disorder, resulting from deficiency or abnormal function of a coagulation factor.
Usually asymptomagic, detected in woman with heavy menses.
Cause: genetic
