Hemophilia (Haemophilia) is an uncommon genetic condition that affects your body’s ability to clot blood. The genetic disorder affects about 1 in 10,000 individuals and could severely hinder the body’s ability to stop bleeding.
Here are some fascinating facts to be aware of regarding “Royal disease” during the day of World Hemophilia Day:
What is Hemophilia, or why is it called “the Royal Disease?
Hemophilia is an uncommon illness of blood that hinders blood clotting in the event of injury. They are deficient in a protein that aids in the formation of clots called Factor VIII. The factor is that chunks work in conjunction with platelets and form blood clots. In the case of hemophilic patients is not the case. This means that the patient is more vulnerable to internal bleeding and injuries over a long period.
There is a belief that Hemophilia was handed down through many generations through queen Victoria through her 3 children. It hence is often referred to as the “Royal Disease’.
India is home to the second-highest number of Hemophilia patients, following those in India, although only 15 percent of cases are reported and treated. Many patients in India cannot cure due to its low prevalence and expensive costs.
What is Normal Blood Clotting Perform?
When you hurt or cut yourself, the body encodes blood to stop bleeding. If you do not have Hemophilia, this is the way it is that the blood clotting process happens:
What are the causes of Hemophilia? Who is at risk?
Hemophilia is caused by an X-linked recessive pattern on the chromosomes. It affects males more than females. When you’re cut, your body can slow the process of bleeding or even clotting using factors that clot or VIII. For people suffering from Hemophilia, the element that chunks are absent or are not present in sufficient amounts. Hemophilia can also be an inheritance-based disease, most often passed down by mothers to their children. The consequence of this is that if someone has an indefective factor VIII gene, it is possible to be a carrier, which means your children are likely also to be affected.
Acquired Hemophilia is, on the contrary, does not have a gene-related disease and is often linked to:
- Pregnancy
- Autoimmune disease
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Cancer
What are the different types Of Hemophilia?
There are three basic types of Hemophilia Type A, Type B, and Type C.
Typ of Hemophilia: It is often referred to as Classic Hemophilia and is the most prevalent kind of Hemophilia discovered. It is caused by a lack of factor VIII clotting within the body.
Type B Hemophilia: It is sometimes referred to as Christmas Disease because the first confirmed case was found in a patient named Stephen Christmas, way back in 1952. It’s a rare form of Hemophilia caused by the absence of the clotting factor IX in the body.
Typ C Hemophilia: A rare condition that affects females and males equally and is caused by the absence of the blood clotting factor in the body.
What are the common signs and Symptoms of Hemophilia?
If the individual doesn’t have any family background of Hemophilia or Hemophilia, they won’t be examined for Hemophilia. However, if the family has an established history of Hemophilia or a related disorder, the child might be tested with his umbilical cord blood. Here are some indicators that might be present during the first 18 months following the birth:
- The head was bleeding when it was during the time of delivery.
- Joints can be swollen or bruised as you learn to walk.
- A lot of bruises and nosebleeds on minor injury
- Gums that are bleeding or in urine and stool
- Signs of overweight
What is the difference between Von Willebrand disorder and Hemophilia?
Von Willebrand Disease is an autosomal recessive disease that is identical to Hemophilia. It is an uncommon bleeding disorder in both males and women (unlike Hemophilia, which affects more women than men).
Treatments for Hemophilia
Hemophilia is a disease that lasts an entire lifetime. The clotting factors VIII and IX tend to remain the same throughout an individual’s life. Based on the level of Hemophilia, Your doctor may offer a range of treatments to treat this condition like:
- Clotting Factors Replacement Therapy is administered intravenously
- It is prescribed every week to stop bleeding episodes
- Therapy to stop joint bleeding
Can people with Hemophilia take part in exercise or Sports?
Many people think that doing sports or exercising could result in more joint bleeding and discomfort. But, moderate exercises and games can help keep from frequent bleeding and pain episodes. A strong muscle can reduce the excess bleeding in people who have Hemophilia.
While there isn’t a cure for Hemophilia, It can be controlled with care and caution. Gene Therapy remains under research and development. Hemophiliacs can live an everyday life if they have the right help. Patients affected by Hemophilia may also want to consider joining local support groups for hemophilia to help manage their illness better.
Skylab Clinical Laboratory team Trivandrum, will help you to collecting blood samples from comfort of your home and office