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Treatments Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder.
Normally, red blood cells are disc-shaped and flexible. In
sickle cell disease, however, hemoglobin (the chemical within
red blood cells that carries oxygen around the body) is
abnormal. This defect causes red blood cells to collapse into a
crescent, or sickle, shape. These abnormal blood cells are
destroyed at an unusually high rate, causing a shortage of red
blood cells (anemia). In addition, they can suddenly clump
together and clog up small blood vessels throughout the body.
This clumping causes what is called a sickle cell crisis. When
blood vessels are blocked by sickle-shaped red blood cells,
parts of the body are deprived of oxygen. This can cause severe
pain and damage to the organs and tissues that are deprived.
Common triggers of sickle cell crisis include smoking, exercise,
exposure to high altitudes, fever, infection, dehydration, and
the drop in oxygen or changes in air p