Hematology

• Hematology


  A branch of internal medicine that deals with the physiology, pathology, etiology, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis and prevention of blood-related disorders
• Blood-related disorders


  • Anemia
  • Blood clots (thrombus)
  • Bleeding disorders
  • Blood cancers such as leukemia, multiple myeloma, and lymphoma
• Blood

  • Made up of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets (combined, about 45% of volume) as well as plasma (about 55% of volume)

  
• Red blood cells (RBCs or erythrocytes)


  Carry oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissue and carbon dioxide back to the lungs to be exhaled, produced in the bone marrow
• White blood cells (WBCs or leukocytes)

  Help fight infection, made in the marrow
• Platelets (thrombocytes)


  Stick together and interact with clotting proteins to stop or prevent bleeding
• Plasma


  The yellowish fluid part of the blood, composed of 92% water, 7% vital proteins and 1% mineral salts, sugars, fats, hormones and vitamins

  
• Functions of blood


  • Transportation (e.g. oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients, wastes, and hormones)
  • Regulation (e.g. pH, temperature, and osmotic pressures)
  • Protection (e.g. against foreign molecules and diseases, as well as for clotting to prevent excessive loss of blood)
• Hematology tests

  • Complete blood count (CBC)
  • Blood chemistry test
  • Blood enzyme test
  • Clotting tests
  • Bone marrow examination

  
• Anemia


  A problem of not having enough healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin to carry oxygen to the body's tissues
• Causes of anemia


  • Iron deficiency
  • Vitamin deficiency
  • Anemia of chronic disease
• Bleeding disorders


  Occur when platelets are low in number or do not work properly or when certain coagulation factors are low or missing, can be inherited or acquired
• Blood cancers


  Leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma
• Blood cancer treatments


  • Chemotherapy
  • Radiation
  • Stem cell transplant
  • Surgery
  • Immunotherapy
• Anemia symptoms


  Depend on the cause and how bad the anemia is
• Anemia can be so mild that it causes no symptoms at first
• Symptoms usually then occur and get worse as the anemia gets worse
• Anemia symptoms


  • Tiredness
  • Weakness
  • Shortness of breath
  • Pale or yellowish skin
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Dizziness or lightheadedness
  • Chest pain
  • Cold hands and feet
  • Headaches