Assignment blood disorders

Assignment blood disorders

Assignment blood disorders

Blood disorders are conditions that impact the blood’s ability to function correctly. There is a range of different types and symptoms depend on the type. However, some common symptoms include unexplained fatigue and weight loss.

Most blood disorders decrease the number of cells, proteins, platelets, or nutrients in the blood, or interfere with their function. A majority of blood disorders are caused by mutations in parts of specific genes and can be passed down in families.

Some medical conditions, medications, and lifestyle factors can also cause blood disorders to develop.

What is a blood disorder?

A blood disorder is any condition that impacts one or more parts of the blood, usually interfering with its ability to work correctly.

Many blood disorders take their name from the component of the blood they impact.

The following categories describe blood disorders that cause a decrease in blood components or affect their function:

• anemia – if the disorder involves red blood cells
• leukopenia – if the disorder affects white blood cells
• thrombocytopenia – if the disorder concerns platelets

Categories of blood disorders that increase blood components are:

• erythrocytosis – if the disorder involves red blood cells
• leukocytosis – if the disorder affects white blood cells
• thrombocythemia or thrombocytosis – if the disorder concerns platelets

Types of white blood cell disorders

White blood cells help the body to fight infection. They begin life in the bone marrow and develop into different types of cells, each having a different immune purpose.

The major types are:

• neutrophils, which destroy bacteria and viruses
• lymphocytes, which kill viruses and regulate the immune system
• monocytes or macrophages, which eat dead or deactivated bacteria, viruses, and fungus
• basophils and eosinophils, which help the body respond to allergic reactions and help destroy parasites

Some white blood cell disorders impact all the different types of white blood cells in the blood, while other disorders only involve one or two specific types. Of the five types of white blood cells, neutrophils and lymphocytes get impacted the most.

Most white blood cell disorders are either a type of cancer or proliferative disorders.

Proliferative disorders involve a rapid increase in the number of white blood cells that are circulating in the blood. This mostly occurs because of an infection, although, occasionally, bone marrow cancers may be responsible.

Leukopenia, however, is due to a reduction in the amount of circulating white blood cells. Leukopenia usually occurs because of:

• illness
• infection
• toxin exposure
• certain medications, such as corticosteroids or chemotherapy medications
• genetic mutations