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Pathophysiology of Sickle Cell Disease – Part 2 Video
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Video at a Glance
- Sickle cell disease is an inherited genetic disorder.
- The mutation occurs in the 11th chromosome.
- With sickle cell disease, the red blood cells become elongated.
- Normal red blood cells are quite pliable, so they can easily squeeze through small capillaries. Sickle cells aren’t as flexible, so they can’t shrink enough to fit through the capillaries. Therefore, small clots form.
- The effects of sickle cell disease impact all of the systems in the body.
- Due to the ischemia and infarction caused by sickle cell disease, it is extremely painful. In fact, it is one of the most painful diseases in the world, and that pain needs to be treated by providers effectively.
- Sickle cell disease is most common in people with ancestry from parts of the world where malaria is common.
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