Blood Disorders

High blood pressure is when your blood flows through your arteries at a really high pressure. Normal blood pressure is 120 over 80 and a high blood pressure is 140 over 90. High blood pressure can...

Meningitis is an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord and can be viral or bacterial. The meninges are the membranes which cover the brain and spinal cord and become inflamed and infected,...

Low platelet levels in your blood are the direct result of a number of serious medical conditions, most notably a condition called thrombocytopenia. Increasing platelet levels in your blood...

A blood thinner was prescribed to you. You must take it properly. Failure to do so could result in another blood clot or pulmonary embolism or even a severe bleed. So follow these simple steps...

A clot is an excessively thick amount of blood that can travel to key parts of the body and pose life-threatening health risks. The tendency to form them can be hereditary or caused by sedentary...

Negative blood types are missing the Rhesus (Rh) factor, an antigen found on the surface of red blood cells. Negative blood types are rare and found in only 15 percent of the world's population.

Blood clots that occur in the leg are called Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT). A DVT is a serious, potentially life-threatening complication that may occur after surgery. Surgical patients are often...

When you're fighting a cold, influenza or other illness, you want to boost your immune system. Sometimes your immune system is not up to par even thought you are not ill. In either case, you need...

Von Willebrand disease is a genetic condition similar to but less severe than hemophilia. The condition was named for Erik von Willebrand, a Scandinavian doctor who described the disease first.

Your immune system depends on the proper level of white blood cells to help defend the body against foreign invaders, such as bacteria or viruses. However, there are circumstances in which their...

White blood cells are protective cells in the blood that fight infection. These cells can exit the bloodstream through the vessel walls and defend against invading properties at the site of an...

If you suffer from hemophilia or a similar condition, your blood has trouble clotting. This can lead to heavy bleeding, bruising, headaches, and swelling of the joints. Fortunately, there are...

Jaundice is characterized by a yellowing of the skin and eyes. This is caused by a buildup of bilirubin in the blood stream. Bilirubin is a yellow pigment that is produced when red blood cells...

Hyperkalemia is a condition characterized by an abnormal excess of potassium in the blood (levels greater than 5.0 milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L). Its primary causes are kidney dysfunction,...

Healthy white blood cells release antibodies to help protect the body against disease. Without healthy WBCs, an organism (for instance, the human body) will wither and die. If the WBC count is too...

Low blood counts in children are described by a number of terms and can be caused by a variety of conditions. The blood cells in babies and children are made in the bone marrow of different bones...

Sickle cell disease is a serious and life threatening genetic disease. According to the National Human Genome Research Institute it is the most common inherited blood disorder in the United...

Iron is an essential element for the body to function. A lack of iron is a common cause of anemia, which is the lack of hemoglobin in the bloodstream. Iron pills are commonly used to treat anemia....

The complete blood count, or CBC, is a comprehensive blood work-up that contains a tremendous amount of information about the make-up of your blood, and can indicate the presence or absence of...

Dry air is responsible for most nosebleeds. Dry air causes the tissues of the nose to crack and bleed. Nose bleeds are a common health issue and can range from a few drops to a major hemorrhage. ...

High blood sugar is an increasingly common condition. It is a precursor of diabetes. In diabetes, the pancreas does not produce enough insulin to convert food into energy. Juvenile diabetes...

If you have low blood pressure, it is called hypotension. Blood pressure is the force of blood that pushes against the arteries when it is pumped from the heart. It is measured in systolic...

The spleen is located on the left side of the abdomen above the stomach and under the ribs. It is about the size of an adult fist and weighs about 200 grams in a healthy adult. A doctor may order...

Lovenox (enoxaparin) and heparin are two drugs used to prevent blood clots. They are also known as anticoagulants or anti-platelets. Although both are used for preventative measures, they differ...

A blood pressure reading notes the systolic pressure, the amount of pressure your heart generates when pumping blood through your arteries, over the diastolic pressure, the amount of pressure in...

Weight loss and leg discoloration are common symptoms in various health disorders of the body. These symptoms can be a sign of various things. Some of the most common disorders with these symptoms...

Iron overload, or hemochromatosis, occurs when too much iron accumulates in the blood. Left untreated, it can cause organ damage. Hemochromatosis is mainly genetic but can also be caused by too...

Hemophilia is actually two different disorders (hemophilia A and B) that have similar effects; it is more difficult for people with hemophilia to stop bleeding because they do not have enough of a...

Clogged arteries are responsible for many health problems. Being proactive in preventing and clearing your arteries and keeping your blood pressure from climbing should be a health-smart decision...

When you receive an injury or undergo surgery, your blood platelets and chemicals known as clotting factors in your bloodstream help make your blood clot or stick together in order to stop your...

Thousands of people die each year from pulmonary embolisms, which occur when a blood clot breaks loose from a vein, usually within the leg or arm, and travels through the body. The blood clot...

Heparin is part of a group of pharmaceutical medications called anticoagulants that prevent blood clots from forming. Heparin is used in hospitals all around the world. It is given by injection;...

A blood clot is a dangerous condition that develops when clumps of hardened blood form inside of one of the veins throughout your body. A blood clot in your legs is referred to as deep vein...

Heparin is an anticoagulant frequently used to treat and prevent blood clots. Blood clots are dangerous as they may break loose and travel to the legs (deep vein thrombosis), lungs (pulmonary...

Poor blood circulation can cause all sorts of very serious health issues, such as diabetes, heart disease, macular degeneration, tinnitus and even dementia. Fortunately it is possible to treat...

Renal artery stenosis is a blocking or narrowing of the major arteries that are responsible for supplying blood to the kidneys. Blockage occurs when the blood flow to the kidneys is constricted...

A pulse oximeter is a medical device that assess a person's breathing by measuring blood oxygen levels. This device is usually attached to the finger, but can also be attached to the ear, foot or...

A hemostatic disease is a disease that interrupts normal production of blood, and/or blood flow, through the body. The disease may cause clots to appear in veins and vessels. The disease may cause...

A low white blood count may be referred to as a neutropenia or leukopenia. Reduced white blood cells lower your body's ability to fight infections. When your white blood count is low, it is...

Poor blood circulation can lead to sores and infections, tingling in the extremities, and even heart attack and stroke. Therefore, finding ways to improve blood circulation is important, and one...

On each side of the neck, you will find a carotid artery. The carotid arteries carry the main blood supply from the heart to the brain. You can feel the artery pulsing by placing your fingers...

Dissolving plaque in arteries takes time, but it can be done. Arterial plaque can be extremely unhealthy because it can lead to heart disease, atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, heart...

Heat improves circulation, which can help heal injuries and help keep your entire body healthy. If you have trouble with numb extremities, then a simple, daily heat routine can dramatically...

Thrombocytopenia is a medical condition that involves low blood platelet levels. Your platelets, also called thrombocytes, play an important role in your body. They aid in blood clotting by...

Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is a bleeding disorder that occurs under the skin's surface. The bleeding disorder may be hard to detect, but it may reveal itself during infections such...

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurs when a blood clot develops in one or more deep veins in the legs or elsewhere. Clots may cause leg pain or no symptoms, may travel to the lungs and can be fatal.

Sickle cell anemia is a disease in which the carrier has abnormal hemoglobin that causes red blood cells to have a sickle shape. These red blood cells clump and clot easily in blood vessels,...

Kayexalate is the brand name for the prescription medication sodium polystyrene. Doctors prescribe Kayexalate for the treatment of high levels of potassium in the blood or hyperkalemia.

Hemophilia is a disease that affects blood clotting or how your blood becomes solid to stop bleeding. Approximately 18,000 people in the U.S. have hemophilia, according to the National Heart,...

According to the National Institute of Heath, Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT) occurs when a person has a vein with a blood clot. Often, DVT occurs in a person's lower legs.