Alpha Thalassemia Center - Sammamish, WASammamish Hematologist Doctors for Alpha ThalassemiaType of Physician: Hematologist What is a Hematologist? A subspecialty certification by the Board of Internal Medicine or Pathology; Hematologists treat diseases of the blood, spleen, and lymph glands such as anemia, clotting disorders, sickle cell disease, hemophilia, leukemia, and lymphoma. They perform special types of transfusions and biopsy the bone marrow for analysis. Specialty: Hematology Common Name: Blood Doctor Hematologist Doctors in Sammamish * UWMC Hematology Clinic  UWMC Hematology Clinic  UWMC Hematology Clinic  UWMC Hematology Clinic  Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center  Seattle Cancer Care Alliance  Seattle Cancer Care Alliance  Seattle Cancer Care Alliance  Seattle Cancer Care Alliance  Harborview Medical Center Hematology Sammamish, WashingtonUpcoming Local Events2012-05-26
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Alpha and Beta ThalassemiaRead the Alpha and Beta Thalassemia article » What are thalassemias?Thalassemias (thal-a-SE-me-ahs) are inherited blood disorders. "Inherited" means they're passed on from parents to children through genes. Thalassemias cause the body to make fewer healthy red blood cells and less hemoglobin (HEE-muh-glow-bin) than normal. Hemoglobin is an iron-rich protein in red blood cells. It carries oxygen to all parts of the body. It also carries carbon dioxide (a waste gas) from the body to the lungs, where it's exhaled. People who have thalassemias can have mild or severe anemia (uh-NEE-me-uh). This condition is caused by a lower than normal number of red blood cells or not enough hemoglobin in the red blood cells.
What Causes Thalassemias?Your body makes three types of blood cells: red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets (PLATE-lets). Red blood cells contain hemoglobin, an iron-rich protein that carries oxygen from your lungs to all parts of your body. Hemoglobin also carries carbon dioxide (a waste gas) from your body to your lungs to be exhaled. Hemoglobin has two kinds of protein chains: alpha globin and beta globin. If your body doesn't make enough of these protein chains, red blood cells don't form properly and can't carry enough oxygen. Your body won't work well if your red blood cells don't make enough healthy hemoglobin. Genes control how the body makes hemoglobin protein chains. When these genes are missing or altered, thalassemias occur. Thalassemias are inherited disorders. That is, they're passed on from parents to their children through genes. People who get abnormal hemoglobin genes from one parent but normal genes from the other are called carriers. Carriers often have no signs of illness other than mild anemia. However, they can pass the abnormal genes on to their children. People with moderate to severe forms of thalassemia have inherited abnormal genes from... Recommended Reading Related to Alpha ThalassemiaHeart attack facts
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Nearby Sammamish Hospitals *Evergreen Hospital Medical Center Fairfax Hospital Group Health Eastside Hospital Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center Overlake Hospital Medical Center Kindred Hospital Seattle University of Washington Medical Center Northwest Hospital & Medical Center Group Health Central Hospital Seattle Cancer Care Alliance  Swedish Medical Center Cherry Hill Campus  Swedish Medical Center First Hill Campus  Virginia Mason Medical Center  Harborview Medical Center  Swedish Medical Center Ballard Campus  Stevens Hospital  VA Puget Sound Health Care System  Valley General Hospital  West Seattle Psychiatric Hospital  Highline Medical Center Specialty Campus  The Regional Hospital for Respiratory & Complex Care  Schick Shadel Hospital  Valley Medical Center  Highline Medical Center Main Campus  Providence Everett Medical Center Pacific Campus  Providence Everett Medical Center Colby Campus  Harrison Medical Center  Auburn Regional Medical Center  St Francis Hospital  Mary Bridge Children's Hospital & Health Center  Tacoma General Hospital  Cascade Valley Hospital  St Joseph Medical Center  Allenmore Hospital Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
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