Hemolytic Anemia

Anemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells to provide oxygen to body tissues. Normal red blood cells have a lifespan of about 120 days.

Hemolytic anemia is a disorder in which the red blood cells are destroyed faster than the bone marrow can produce them. The term for destruction of red blood cells is hemolysis. Hemolysis may be due to a defect within the red blood cells themselves, or in some cases, red blood cells are produced healthy, but are later destroyed by other factors.  

Many diseases, conditions, and factors can cause early destruction of red blood cells, including:

• Inherited (genetic) defects in red cells including sickle cell anemia, thalassemia, and G6PD deficiency
• The Immune system develops antibodies against red blood cells which causes them to break down prematurely.
• Exposure to certain chemicals
• Certain medicines can bind to red blood cell surfaces and can cause antibodies to develop. Other medicines cause hemolytic anemia in other ways.
• Infections (hepatitis, cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and others)
• Blood clots in small blood vessels
• Blood transfusion or medication-related reactions
• Enlarged spleen
• Tumors
• Leukemia
• Lymphoma
• Autoimmune disorders such as systemic lupus erythematous (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis, others

See your doctor for pale skin, jaundice, dark urine, fatigue, or shortness of breath. Seek urgent care for chest pain, fainting, a very rapid heartbeat, or severe shortness of breath.