Hemophilia is a rare disorder in which the blood cannot clot after an injury. This is because of lack of sufficient or lack of blood clotting protein called the clotting factor. Hemophilia will cause intense bleeding when one has an injury or has undergone surgery. Hemophilia has two most common types: classic hemophilia (hemophilia A) and the Christmas disease (hemophilia B) and hemophilia C, rare. People who have hemophilia A have low blood-clotting factors called factor eight (VIII). Those with hemophilia B have low levels of factor nine (IX).
1. Bleeding Condition
There is a danger when one with a hemophilia disorder bleeds. If bleeding occurs in the brain, the affected person will have reduced consciousness and prolonged headaches. Furthermore, permanent damage may occur if bleeding happens in the joints.
2. Types of hemophilia
Hemophilia exists in three different types that is A, BC, and parahemophilia. The type of clotting factor one is deficient in determines the type. A more severe factor is because of more deficiency in the clotting factor. Type C is less serious than all the others. The type of clotting factor associated with type A is VIII, IX for B, and XII for hemophilia C.
3. Inherited genes
Hemophilia is a genetically inherited disease, and one parent may pass it to other children. It associates with the X chromosomes and thus affecting males more than females. However, females mostly tend to be carriers of the disorder. Carrier females tend to have one affected X chromosome, and they at times experience hemophilia symptoms. Hemophilia C is different since it affects males and females equally. This type of disease mostly affected the Ashkenazi Jews.
4. Acquired Hemophilia
It is not necessary that one be born with the disorder. One can gain Hemophilia disease over time. The condition may happen when an autoimmune disorder develops. This is where the body’s white blood cells, which protect the immune system, attack the blood clotting factor. This form of hemophilia treatment is usually a little easier because the immune system is artificially depressed, but it can still be problematic.
5. Diagnosis
A person is determined whether to be having hemophilia by conducting a diagnosis. Screening test is conducted which involves: Complete Blood Count (CBC), Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT) Test, Prothrombin Time (PT) Test, Fibrinogen Test, and Clotting Factor Tests.
6. Treatment of hemophilia
Hemophilia is better treated by replacing the missing blood clotting factor so that the blood can clot properly. Doctors prescribe treatment products for episodic care, which is used to stop a patient’s bleeding episode, and prophylactic care, which is used to prevent bleeding episodes from occurring. People who have mild hemophilia A may take desmopressin. Families today learn how to give their clotting factor treatment at home. This means that one can quickly treat the bleeds leading to less serious bleeding and fewer side effects.
7. Rate of hemophilia
Statistics show that hemophilia B affects one male out of 40000. Hemophilia affects at least 1 in 5000 male births. Moreover, approximately 400 babies are born with hemophilia each year.
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