Blood Disorders

Summary

Your blood is living tissue made up of liquid and solids. The liquid part, called plasma, is made of water, salts and protein. Over half of your blood is plasma. The solid part of your blood contains red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.

Blood disorders affect one or more parts of the blood and prevent your blood from doing its job. They can be acute or chronic. Many blood disorders are inherited. Other causes include other diseases, side effects of medicines, and a lack of certain nutrients in your diet.

Types of blood disorders include:

• Platelet disorders, excessive clotting, and bleeding problems, which affect how your blood clots
• Anemia, which happens when your blood does not carry enough oxygen to the rest of your body
• Cancers of the blood, such as leukemia and myeloma
• Eosinophilic disorders, which are problems with one type of white blood cell.

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Genetics

• Aceruloplasminemia: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• CLPB deficiency: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Congenital plasminogen deficiency: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Dyserythropoietic anemia and thrombocytopenia: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Familial erythrocytosis: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Hereditary spherocytosis: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• McLeod neuroacanthocytosis syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Methemoglobinemia, beta-globin type: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Neuroferritinopathy: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Polycythemia vera: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• X-linked sideroblastic anemia: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine

Encyclopedia

• Agranulocytosis Medical Encyclopedia
• Arterial stick Medical Encyclopedia
• Blood typing Medical Encyclopedia
• Capillary sample Medical Encyclopedia
• Coombs test Medical Encyclopedia
• Cord blood testing Medical Encyclopedia
• Donath-Landsteiner test Medical Encyclopedia
• Haptoglobin blood test Medical Encyclopedia
• Hemoglobin C disease Medical Encyclopedia
• Hemoglobin electrophoresis Medical Encyclopedia
• Hemoglobinopathy Medical Encyclopedia
• Hemolytic crisis Medical Encyclopedia
• Hemolytic disease of the newborn Medical Encyclopedia
• Hereditary elliptocytosis Medical Encyclopedia
• Hereditary ovalocytosis Medical Encyclopedia
• Methemoglobinemia Medical Encyclopedia
• Methemoglobinemia – acquired Medical Encyclopedia
• Methylene blue test Medical Encyclopedia
• Neutropenia – infants Medical Encyclopedia
• Osmotic fragility test Medical Encyclopedia
• Paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria (PCH) Medical Encyclopedia
• Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) Medical Encyclopedia
• Polychromatophilia Medical Encyclopedia
• Polycythemia – newborn Medical Encyclopedia
• Serum free hemoglobin test Medical Encyclopedia
• Sugar-water hemolysis test Medical Encyclopedia
• Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome Medical Encyclopedia
• Venipuncture Medical Encyclopedia

Start Here

• Blood (For Parents) Nemours Foundation

Diagnosis and Tests

• Blood Count Tests: MedlinePlus Health Topic National Library of Medicine
• Blood Tests National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
• Haptoglobin (HP) Test National Library of Medicine
• Hemoglobin Electrophoresis National Library of Medicine
• Karyotype Genetic Test National Library of Medicine

Patient Handouts

• Blood differential test Medical Encyclopedia
• Blood smear Medical Encyclopedia
• CBC blood test Medical Encyclopedia
• Hematocrit Medical Encyclopedia
• Hemoglobin Medical Encyclopedia
• Low white blood cell count and cancer Medical Encyclopedia
• RBC count Medical Encyclopedia
• RBC indices Medical Encyclopedia
• WBC count Medical Encyclopedia

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Hematologic Diseases National Institutes of Health

Specifics

• Eosinophilia Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Heavy Chain Diseases Merck & Co., Inc.
• Hemoglobin C, S-C, and E Diseases Merck & Co., Inc.
• High Red Blood Cell Count Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Low White Blood Cell Count Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Lymphocytosis (High Lymphocyte Count) Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance (MGUS) Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Neutropenia (Low Neutrophil Count) Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH) Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation
• Plasma Cell Disorders Merck & Co., Inc.
• Polycythemia Vera National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
• What Is Lymphopenia? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
• White Blood Cell Disorders Merck & Co., Inc.

Find an Expert

• Find a Hematologist American Society of Hematology
• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Reference Desk

• Hematology Glossary American Society of Hematology

Children

• Hereditary Spherocytosis (For Parents) Nemours Foundation

Related Issues

• How Lupus Affects the Blood Lupus Foundation of America

Journal Articles

• Blood Disorders

Symptoms

• Symptoms of Blood Disorders Merck & Co., Inc.