Sickle Cell Disease - What Is Sickle Cell Disease? - NHLBI, NIH
People who have sickle cell disease may also experience other serious health complications, such as chronic pain, stroke, lung problems, eye problems, infections, and kidney disease. Sickle cell disease is a lifelong illness that may be managed through preventive screening and treatment strategies. Treatment reduces or helps manage symptoms and ...

Sickle Cell Disease - Causes and Risk Factors | NHLBI, NIH
Sickle cell disease is sometimes called sickle cell anemia. People have sickle cell trait if they inherit a copy of the sickle cell gene from one parent and a copy of the gene for normal hemoglobin, called hemoglobin A, from the other. People who have sickle cell trait make about 60% normal hemoglobin (hemoglobin A) and 40% sickle hemoglobin ...

Sickle Cell Disease - Symptoms | NHLBI, NIH
Serious symptoms of sickle cell disease are emergencies and need treatment right away. Seek care or call 9-1-1 if you or someone else is experiencing: Severe pain. A serious pain event is sometimes called a “pain crisis,” “sickle cell crisis,” or “vaso-occlusive crisis.” Most people with sickle cell disease have this often-serious pain.

How Sickle Cell Disease May Affect Your Health - NHLBI, NIH
In sickle cell disease, it can cause the bone marrow to stop producing new red cells for a while, leading to severe anemia. Splenic sequestration crises : When red blood cells get trapped in the spleen, fewer are available to circulate in the blood.

Sickle Cell Disease Fact Sheet | NHLBI, NIH
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common inherited blood disorder in the United States. In this fact sheet, learn about the causes, signs and symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of SCD. Print Length:

Sickle Cell Disease - Diagnosis - NHLBI, NIH
Genetic tests can help confirm a sickle cell disease diagnosis if results from blood tests are not clear. Some people who have sickle cell disease have one copy of the gene for hemoglobin S and another copy of a gene for a different type of faulty hemoglobin that causes diseases such as thalassemia. Genetic testing or blood tests can check for ...

Sickle Cell Disease - Treatment | NHLBI, NIH
Hydroxyurea is an oral medicine that is frequently prescribed to help treat sickle cell disease. Hydroxyurea is an oral medicine that can reduce sickling of red blood cells and help prevent serious symptoms of sickle cell disease, including pain crises. Healthcare providers usually prescribe daily hydroxyurea for infants as young as 9 months ...

Sickle Cell Disease Milestones in Research and Clinical Progress
Sickle cell disease is a lifelong illness and can harm a person’s spleen, brain, eyes, lungs, liver, heart, kidneys, penis, joints, bones, or skin. The severity of the disease varies widely from person to person. In the early 1970s, the average life span of people with sickle cell disease was only 14 years.

What is Sickle Cell Trait? Fact Sheet - NHLBI, NIH
More than 2 million people in the United States have sickle cell trait. Sickle cell trait occurs when a person has one copy of the sickle cell gene passed down from one parent, and a normal hemoglobin gene from the other parent. This fact sheet describes what sickle cell trait is, who is affected, how to know if you have it, and how to live ...

Living With Sickle Cell Disease - NHLBI, NIH
Most people who have sickle cell disease should see their provider every 3 to 12 months, depending on their age and the type of sickle cell disease they have. Get regular vaccines, including an influenza (flu) shot every year, and the COVID-19 vaccine as recommended. Routine vaccines, such as those for pneumonia and meningococcal disease, can ...