William Amarquaye, PharmD is a Clinical Pharmacist at Brandon Regional Hospital

returns to the Pharmacy Podcast Nation to share his knowledge on the sickle cell disease state. 

Via Sickle Cell 101

Sickle cell is a blood disorder passed down from parents to children. It is characterized by sickle or crescent-shaped red blood cells that are unable to carry oxygen sufficiently through the body, causing a range of complications.

Sickle cell is caused by certain changes in the DNA code or a mutation. All people with sickle cell disease inherited a specific mutation that changes the way some of their blood cells function. Normally, red blood cells are round and flexible and can travel easily through blood vessels; however, in people with sickle cell disease, their red blood cells transform into brittle, sticky and crescent (or sickle) shaped cells called sickle cells.

Due to their shape and consistency, sickle cells become unable to move freely through small blood vessels, which can block or slow down blood flow to all of the tissues beyond that point, this is called vaso-occlusion, or a vaso-occlusive pain crisis. Your blood flows all throughout the body, therefore any organ (like the kidneys) or tissue (like muscles) could be affected. 

This loss of blood flow causes a shortage of oxygen to the affected body parts and organs. When the oxygen level is too low, injuries and even cell death occurs. This complication causes damage that builds up as time goes on. In addition to the loss of blood flow, sickle cells break down very easily and rapidly (called hemolysis) in the bloodstream, causing a shortage of blood cells, or anemia, and releasing content that can be toxic in high levels. 

All of these events inside the body can cause extreme pain, damage to organs and several other complications that contribute to the negative impact of sickle cell disease.

RESOURCES by Pharmacists on SICKLE CELL:

READ TLDR Pharmacy Blog

The Pharmacist's Guide to Sickle Cell Disease

https://www.tldrpharmacy.com/content/the-pharmacists-guide-to-sickle-cell-disease 

William Amarquaye, PharmD 

Clinical Pharmacist at Brandon Regional Hospital

Ghanaboy. PharmD

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