1.27. Blood Diseases http://www.ck12.org
1.27 Blood Diseases
- Describe diseases of the blood.
What do these foods have in common?
Red meat, legumes, and spinach are all good sources of iron. Getting enough iron in your diet is important to prevent
anemia. Anemia is a blood disease that causes you to feel weak and tired. Although anemia is caused by a nutrient
deficiency, other blood diseases are genetic diseases, or forms of cancer.
Blood Diseases
Problems can occur with red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and other parts of the blood. Many blood
disorders are genetic, meaning they are inherited from a parent. Some blood diseases are caused by not getting
enough of a certain nutrient, while others are cancers of the blood.
Anemia
Anemiais a disease that occurs when there is not enough hemoglobin in the blood to carry oxygen to body cells.
Hemoglobinis the blood protein that normally carries oxygen from the lungs to the tissues. Anemia leads to a lack
of oxygen in organs.
Anemia is usually caused by one of the following:
- A loss of blood from a bleeding wound or a slow leak of blood.
- The destruction of red blood cells.
- A lack of red blood cell production.
Anemia may not have any symptoms. Some people with anemia feel weak or tired in general or during exercise.
They also may have poor concentration. People with more severe anemia often get short of breath during times
of activity. Iron-deficiency anemia is the most common type of anemia. It occurs when the body does not receive
enough iron. Since there is not enough iron, hemoglobin, which needs iron to bind oxygen, cannot be made.