Merriam Webster defines hemophilia as "a sex-linked hereditary blood defect that occurs almost exclusively in males and is characterized by delayed clotting of the blood and consequent difficulty in controlling hemorrhage even after minor injuries". In plain terms, it is a bleeding disorder where blood doesn't clot normally. This happens due to deficiency of clotting factor, a protein needed for blood clotting. This condition is hereditary and is found mainly in men, although women can be carriers as well. There are two types of hemophilia: A and B. Type A hemophilia exhibits low levels of factor VIII and is more common than hemophilia B. Hemophilia B exhibits low levels of factor IX. To put this in perspective, there are 13 proteins that help blood clot. If one is present at low levels or missing completely a clot will not form. Hemophilia also divides into 3 severity levels: severe, moderate, and mild. Severe hemophiliacs have 0% to 1% factor level, and this is the most predominant form of hemophilia. Moderate hemophiliacs exhibit 1% to 5% factor levels. Mild hemophiliacs have 5% to 10% factor level. These levels are hereditary and will remain the same throughout hemophiliac's lifetime and within a given family tree.
No comments:
Post a Comment