What is Aplastic Anemia?

Many people are aware of anemia in general, but few are aware of the many types of anemia. One such type is called aplastic anemia, a rare and serious condition. Typically, anemia is a term used to refer to low red blood cell counts. However, aplastic anemia patients have lower counts of not only red blood cells, but also white blood cells and platelets. In the past, the disease was considered a "death sentence," but thanks to advances in medicines, aplastic anemia has a much better prognosis today.

In healthy people, our bone marrow is responsible for making blood cells. There are three types of blood cells: red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. All play a vital role in keeping you healthy. Red blood cells carry oxygen, white blood cells fight infection, and platelets help the blood to clot. In aplastic anemia, the bone marrow does not produce sufficient new cells to replenish blood cells. This causes the individual to be fatigued and at a higher risk of infections and uncontrolled bleeding.

Aplastic anemia can occur at any age. The condition develops when some sort of damage occurs to the bone marrow, either slowing down or shutting off the production of new blood cells. The damage can be either temporary or permanent. Certain things are known to damage to the bone marrow and subsequently lead to aplastic anemia. These include high doses of radiation, high doses of chemotherapy, exposure to toxic chemicals, use of certain drugs, autoimmune disorders, a viral infection, and pregnancy. Many times, the exact cause of aplastic anemia is impossible to determine. In fact, doctors are only able to determine the cause of the condition in less than half of aplastic anemia cases.

There are many symptoms of aplastic anemia. These include fatigue, shortness of breath with exertion , rapid heart rate, pale skin, frequent or prolonged infections, unexplained or easy bruising, nosebleeds and bleeding gums, prolonged bleeding from cuts, skin rash, dizziness, and headache. If a doctor believes a patient may have aplastic anemia, he/she will look for signs such as anemia, malaise, pallor, thrombocytopenia, leucopenia, and infection. The doctor will also run several blood tests. The only way to confirm the diagnosis is for the patient to undergo a bone marrow biopsy. After the diagnosis of aplastic anemia is confirmed, the patient may need additional tests in an attempt to determine the underlying cause of the condition.

Aplastic anemia is classified as being mild, moderate or severe. Severe aplastic anemia is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention and hospitalization. Mild and moderate aplastic anemia is less severe and does not require hospitalization. Treatment of aplastic anemia depends on the severity of the condition. Treatments for aplastic anemia vary but may include observation for mild cases, blood transfusions, medications and, in severe cases, bone marrow transplantation. In some cases, aplastic anemia is only temporary and will eventually go away. In other cases, it is a life-long illness.

Prognosis of aplastic anemia depends on many factors such as the severity and cause of the disease. In the past, little was known about the disease. It wasn't uncommon for patients to go undiagnosed and untreated. Untreated aplastic anemia is an illness that leads to rapid death, typically within six months. However, thanks to advances in medicines, aplastic anemia has a much better prognosis today.