Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (patient information): Difference between revisions
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==What are the symptoms of Autoimmune hemolytic anemia?== | ==What are the symptoms of Autoimmune hemolytic anemia?== | ||
You may not have symptoms if the anemia is mild. If the problem develops slowly, symptoms that may occur first include: | |||
* Feeling grumpy | |||
* Feeling weak or tired more often than usual, or with exercise | |||
* Headaches | |||
* Problems concentrating or thinking | |||
If the anemia gets worse, symptoms may include: | |||
* Blue color to the whites of the eyes | |||
* Brittle nails | |||
* Light-headedness when you stand up | |||
* Pale skin color (pallor) | |||
* Shortness of breath | |||
* Sore tongue | |||
==What causes Autoimmune hemolytic anemia?== | ==What causes Autoimmune hemolytic anemia?== | ||
Revision as of 18:02, 6 June 2016
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Autoimmune hemolytic anemia |
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Autoimmune hemolytic anemia On the Web |
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Directions to Hospitals Treating Autoimmune hemolytic anemia |
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Risk calculators and risk factors for Autoimmune hemolytic anemia |
For the WikiDoc page for this topic, click here
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Autoimmune hemolytic anemia occurs when antibodies form against the body's own red blood cells and destroy them. This happens because the immune system mistakenly recognizes these blood cells as foreign.
What are the symptoms of Autoimmune hemolytic anemia?
You may not have symptoms if the anemia is mild. If the problem develops slowly, symptoms that may occur first include:
- Feeling grumpy
- Feeling weak or tired more often than usual, or with exercise
- Headaches
- Problems concentrating or thinking
If the anemia gets worse, symptoms may include:
- Blue color to the whites of the eyes
- Brittle nails
- Light-headedness when you stand up
- Pale skin color (pallor)
- Shortness of breath
- Sore tongue
What causes Autoimmune hemolytic anemia?
Possible causes include:
- Certain chemicals, drugs, and toxins
- Infections
- Transfusion of blood from a donor with a blood type that does not match
- Certain cancers
When antibodies form against red blood cells for no reason, the condition is called idiopathic autoimmune hemolytic anemia.
The antibodies may also be caused by:
- Complication of another disease
- Past blood transfusions
- Pregnancy (if the baby's blood type is different from the mother's)
Risk factors are related to the causes.