Hemolytic anemia

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Red blood cells, sickle cell

Red blood cells, multiple sickle cells

Red blood cells, sickle cells

Red blood cells, sickle and pappenheimer

Hemolytic anemia

Definition:

Hemolytic anemia is a condition of an inadequate number of circulating red blood cells (anemia) caused by premature destruction of red blood cells. There are a number of specific types of hemolytic anemia, which are described individually.

Alternative Names:

Anemia - hemolytic

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Hemolytic anemia occurs when the bone marrow is unable to compensate for premature destruction of red blood cells by increasing their production. When the marrow is able to compensate, anemia does not occur.

There are many types of hemolytic anemia, which are classified by the location of the defect. The defect may be in the red blood cell itself (intrinsic factor), or outside the red blood cell (extrinsic factor).

Causes of hemolytic anemia include infection, certain medications, autoimmune disorders, and inherited disorders. Types of hemolytic anemia include:

Sickle-cell anemia
Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria
Hemoglobin SC disease
Hemolytic anemia due to G6PD deficiency
Hereditary elliptocytosis
Hereditary spherocytosis
Hereditary ovalocytosis
Idiopathic autoimmune hemolytic anemia
Non-immune hemolytic anemia caused by chemical or physical agents
Secondary immune hemolytic anemia
Thalassemia

Review Date: 11/9/2004
Reviewed By: Marcia S. Brose, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Hematology/Oncology, The University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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