Aplastic anemia: causes, symptoms and medications

Definition

What is aplastic anemia?

Aplastic anemia is a type of anemia that occurs when the body stops producing red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets. This type of anemia makes you feel weak quickly for no apparent reason, a high risk of contracting an infection, experiencing bleeding that is difficult to stop, and serious heart problems.

There are two types of aplastic anemia based on the cause, which is inherited in the family and acquired during life (generally due to autoimmune disorders).

How common is this condition?

This condition is a rare disease that is quite serious. Although it can be experienced by anyone, this condition often appears in childhood or at the age of 20-25 years.

This disease can appear suddenly or occur slowly in a matter of weeks or months. If you experience symptoms and signs, it is very important to get treatment immediately.

Signs & symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of aplastic anemia?

Although generally similar, the symptoms of anemia may differ depending on the type. Some of the signs and symptoms of aplastic anemia are:

• Get tired easily
• Pale skin
• Headache and dizziness
• Hard to breathe
• Heart beats fast
• Nails break easily
• Dry skin and hair

Other symptoms that may appear if aplastic anemia is severe:

• Bruises of unknown cause
• Frequent nosebleeds or bleeding gums
• Prolonged bleeding

Knowing the above symptoms can help you prevent any type of anemia from getting worse, including aplastic anemia.

When to see a doctor?

Aplastic anemia is a rare condition. However, you should contact your doctor immediately if you suspect you are experiencing the following symptoms:

• Symptoms persist and get worse
• Severe chest pain
• Frequent shortness of breath
• Lax continuously
• Gums bleed easily

If you have any signs or symptoms above or any other questions, please consult your doctor.

Cause

What causes aplastic anemia?

Anemia is caused by various things, depending on the type. The main cause of aplastic anemia is bone marrow damage. The disorder causes normal blood-forming cells (stem cells) to be replaced by abnormal fat cells.

Damage to the bone marrow can slow or shut down the production of new blood cells. As a result, the body will lack components of healthy blood cells.

In fact, each component of the blood has its own duty to maintain bodily functions. Red blood cells, for example, function as carriers of oxygen and nutrients throughout cells and tissues, while white blood cells function as protectors from infection. Platelets are blood cells that regulate the blood clotting process.

In people with this anemia, their bone marrow may be empty (aplastic) or contain very few blood cells (hypoplastic).

Risk factors

What puts me at risk for this condition?

There are many factors that can cause damage to the spinal cord, either temporarily or permanently.

Quoted from the Mayo Clinic, various risk factors for aplastic anemia are:

• Radiation and chemotherapy
  Exposure to toxic chemicals, such as benzene (in gasoline) and insect killers (DDT)
• Use of certain drugs
• Viral infection
• Autoimmune disorders

Diagnosis

How to diagnose this condition?

Anemia can be diagnosed with certain procedures. When your doctor suspects you have aplastic anemia, you may be asked to do additional tests.

1. Complete blood count

The first step in the diagnosis of anemia is a simple blood test (full blood count) or complete blood count (complete blood count).

The test to diagnose anemia is done by taking a blood sample from your blood vessel. The blood sample will be sent to a laboratory to count the blood cell count.

2. Bone marrow examination

If your blood test results suggest that you may have aplastic anemia, a bone marrow biopsy may be needed to help confirm the diagnosis.

A bone marrow biopsy is done by taking a sample of your bone marrow, usually at the back of your hip bone. After the sample is taken, the doctor will send it to a laboratory to be examined under a microscope.

The bone marrow sample will be examined in the laboratory to determine the number and types of cells present and the amount of hemopoiesis (blood-forming) activity that occurs there. Patients who are positive with aplastic anemia will experience a decrease in the number of white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets in the body.

Other tests for aplastic anemia

In addition to the two tests above, the doctor will recommend that you do a series of other supporting tests to clearly see what disease you have. Usually, this support test is done to get information about your general health and to see the function of your vital organs after there is a possibility of anemia.

A series of imaging tests such as an X-ray, scan, and EKG will provide a baseline of what causes aplastic anemia.

In this supporting test, your doctor may also get other health results that can be prevented before your anemia causes complications. Additional tests also allow your specialist to diagnose the severity of your anemia.

Treatment

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

How to treat aplastic anemia?

Treatment for anemia, regardless of type, aims to reduce symptoms, prevent complications caused by anemia, and improve quality of life.

Treatment options for aplastic anemia include:

1. Blood transfusions

Blood transfusions can be the mainstay of treatment for aplastic anemia, which causes heavy bleeding. However, keep in mind, this procedure is not a cure-all.

Blood transfusions serve to relieve symptoms that appear in the body as a result of the reduced blood supply and amount due to abnormalities of your spinal cord. Transfusions can include:

• Red blood cells can be transfused to increase the number of red blood cells. This helps relieve anemia, which can cause fatigue.
• Platelets it can also be transfused into your body to help prevent excessive bleeding.

Although there is generally no limit to how many blood cell transfusions can be performed, sometimes excess blood can lead to complications.

The red blood cells that are transfused generally contain iron which can build up in your body and can damage vital organs if not neutralized in number. For this reason, the doctor will prevent excess iron in the blood by prescribing iron-reducing drugs.

2. Bone marrow transplant

Bone marrow transplant is a therapy that can be done for people with aplastic anemia. This procedure is performed to replace damaged stem cells with healthy cells from a donor.

This therapy is the best therapy for young children and young adults whose conditions are already severe. Donors are usually obtained from siblings of patients.

3. Drug therapy

Antibiotics will be prescribed because people with this type of anemia are prone to infection and can be difficult to treat.

Hydroxyurea is a drug for people with aplastic anemia that is useful for preventing the body from constantly needing blood transfusions. This drug also works to stimulate the production of fetal hemoglobin, which can help prevent the formation of sickle blood cells.

4. Immunosuppressants

Immunosuppressants will be prescribed for people who cannot have a bone marrow transplant.

This drug is also given to those who have aplastic anemia due to autoimmune disorders. Examples of immunosuppressant drugs include cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune) and anti-thymocyte globulin.

These drugs can suppress the activity of immune cells that damage your bone marrow. This helps your bone marrow recover and produce new blood cells.

Home remedies

What are some lifestyle changes or home remedies that can be used to treat aplastic anemia?

Some of the lifestyle and home remedies that can help you treat aplastic anemia are:

• Take the medicine your doctor prescribes.
• Perform regular laboratory examinations according to your doctor's instructions.
• Get enough rest.
• Prevent infection by washing your hands frequently and using your food properly.
• Avoid contact sports to avoid bruising and internal bleeding.