You are probably familiar with the term anemia. Anemia is a condition in which the body has fewer than normal red blood cells. Anemia causes red blood cells to be unable to transport sufficient oxygen to the body's tissues and organs. As a result, you will experience fatigue, weakness, dizziness, shortness of breath, pale skin, and a rapid heart rate.

However, aplastic anemia differs from regular anemia. Aplastic anemia is a rare condition that can be extremely serious, even fatal.

What is aplastic anemia?

Aplastic anemia is a condition in which the bone marrow fails to produce normal blood cells. This condition causes a low count of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in the bloodstream.

Aplastic anemia occurs when bone marrow stem cells fail to produce mature blood cells in a timely and sufficient quantity. A variety of factors can contribute to this condition, including genetics, chemical or radiation exposure, viral infections like Epstein-Barr or hepatitis, and the use of certain medications.

Aplastic anemia is a rare and uncommon condition, but it can be severe and fatal. Symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, easy bruising, easy bleeding, and frequent infections. To stay healthy, people with aplastic anemia may require blood transfusions, immunosuppressive therapy, bone marrow transplants, or gene therapy.

Read more: Getting To Know The Symptoms And Causes Of Anemia In Adults

Why can aplastic anemia cause death?

Unlike regular anemia, aplastic anemia is a serious and life-threatening condition. Aplastic anemia can lead to more serious and potentially fatal complications, including:

Hypoxia

Aplastic anemia occurs when the bone marrow is unable to produce enough red blood cells. This lack of red blood cells can cause hypoxia, which prevents the body's tissues and organs from functioning properly.

Severe hypoxia damages vital organs such as the heart, brain, and lungs, resulting in organ failure and even death if not treated quickly and effectively.

Severe infections

Aplastic anemia is characterized by a lack of white blood cells, which play an important role in fighting bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. As a result, people with aplastic anemia are more susceptible to a variety of infections. Infections can attack vital organs such as the lungs, kidneys and nervous system, which can develop into serious and fatal infections if not treated quickly.

Read more: Anemia Patients Should Avoid These Food

Severe bleeding

Platelet deficiency (thrombocytopenia) in aplastic anemia can increase the risk of serious bleeding. Platelets are the blood components responsible for blood clots. When a blood vessel is damaged or a wound occurs, platelets gather in the area and form a blood clot to stop bleeding.

Aplastic anemia patients may experience uncontrollable and difficult-to-stop bleeding, whether it is external bleeding such as cuts or internal bleeding such as brain hemorrhage. Serious internal bleeding can develop into a life-threatening condition if not treated immediately.

Heart failure

Aplastic anemia does not directly cause heart failure. However, if aplastic anemia is not treated properly and continues for a long period of time, it can cause an excessive burden on the heart. This overload can cause cardiac stress and a gradual decline in heart function.

Furthermore, the lack of oxygen in the blood can cause high blood pressure, forcing the heart to work harder to pump blood. Chronic high blood pressure can damage the heart and blood vessels, eventually leading to heart failure.

To prevent serious and potentially fatal complications due to aplastic anemia, it is recommended to undergo proper treatment. Proper treatment can help boost the number of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in the bloodstream. To determine the best course of action, you should consult with a doctor.

If you need medical advice or consultation, you can either visit a doctor or make use of the consultation features that are available in the Ai Care application by downloading the Ai Care application from the App Store or Play Store.

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