Sickle Cell Anemia
Sickle cell anemia is an inherited blood disease that causes abnormal red blood cells. Another name for it is sickle cell disease. ... Abnormal red blood cells change to a sickle-shape (crescent moon), become stiff, and loose oxygen. Sickle cells have a shorter life span than normal-shaped red blood cells. ... Sickle cells only last 10 – 12 days. ... Sickle cells are also less flexible and stickier than normal red blood cells and can become trapped in small vessels preventing blood flow. ... Sickle cell trait or sickle cell anemia happens when abnormal hemoglobin, called hemoglobin S, is in the blood. ... If there is only one copy of hemoglobin S, then that person has sickle cell trait. If there are two copies of hemoglobin S, then that person has sickle cell anemia. In order to find out if a person has sickle cell trait or sickle cell anemia, a sickle cell prep is done. A sickle cell prep is a screening test done on blood to find out if any sickle cells are present. If this test turns out to be positive, then another test is done to tell whether it is sickle cell trait or sickle cell anemia. ... Sickle cell trait and sickle cell anemia are found mostly in Africans, African Americans, and Latinos, but also affects people of Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Asian Indian ancestry. Sickle cell trait usually shows no sign of symptoms and does not cause any health problems.