Aplastic anemia overview
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Editor-In-Chief: Aric Hall, M.D., Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA [1]
Overview
Anemia is the condition of having fewer red blood cells than normal, or fewer than needed to function properly. Typically, anemia refers to low red blood cell counts, but aplastic anemia patients have lower counts of all three blood cell types: red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Bone marrow is a sponge-like tissue inside the bones. It makes stem cells that develop into red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Aplastic anemia is a condition where bone marrow does not produce sufficient new cells to replenish blood cells. The term 'aplastic' means the marrow suffers from an aplasia that renders it unable to function properly. Red blood cells carry oxygen to all parts of your body. They also carry carbon dioxide (a waste product) to your lungs to be exhaled. White blood cells help your body fight infections. Platelets are blood cell fragments that stick together to seal small cuts or breaks on blood vessel walls and stop bleeding. It's normal for blood cells to die. The lifespan of red blood cells is about 120 days. White blood cells live less than a day. Platelets live about 6 days. As a result, the bone marrow must constantly make new blood cells. If the bone marrow can't make enough new blood cells, many health problems can occur. These problems include arrhythmias, an enlarged heart, heart failure, infections, and bleeding. Severe aplastic anemia can even cause death.