To live you need red blood cells, they carry oxygen around your body and keep you alive. In your bones, there is a red material called bone marrow, which, produces the red blood cells. When you have hemolytic anemia, your red blood cells die faster than the red blood cells made by the bone marrow. There are two types of hemolytic anemia, extrinsic or intrinsic. Extrinsic is often when the spleen takes healthy red blood cells and destroys them; other causes are, autoimmune disorders, infection, tumors, and medicine side effects. Intrinsic occurs when the blood cells your body makes is defective though this is often inherited such as people with sickle cell anemia. With hemolytic anemia, common symptoms include fatigue, fever, paleness of the skin, confusion, lightheadedness, and weakness or …show more content…
Treatment options for hemolytic anemia include blood transfusions, intravenous immunoglobulin, a corticosteroid medication, and surgery. Mortality rates are low with this, a prognosis depends on what kind of hemolytic anemia you have. Living with hemolytic anemia, you should talk to your doctor, but many are susceptible of cold, which can cause the breakdown of blood cells or hemolysis. Wearing warm clothes and staying in the warm area can reduce episodes of hemolysis, and reducing the risk of infection by washing your hands and staying away from those who are sick. Taking medication is also an option, but will be directed towards what type of hemolytic anemia you have, to help reduce the morbidity and reduce complications of your hemolytic anemia. For an example, corticosteroids are usually first in line for Intrinsic hemolytic anemia, but can be seldom against cold agglutinin disease, the type of hemolytic anemia that reacts to the