Sunday 17 February 2013

HOW IS APLASTIC ANEMIA TREATED ?????



People who have mild or moderate aplastic anemia may not need treatment as long as the condition doesn't get worse. Now the treatments available for aplastic anemia may include  blood transfusions and medications for serious cases, and, in severe cases, bone marrow transplantation is must. Severe aplastic anemia, in which your blood cell counts are extremely low, is life-threatening and the patient has to be hospitalized so that the treatment can be started immediately.
Lets have a look at the treatment techniques :
·         Blood transfusions- This isn’t a cure but an alternative to raise the blood cells (red blood cells and platelets) which the bone marrow has failed to produce.There is no limitation on the no of transfusion that will be required.Some complications might arise due to continuous use of this technique.


·         Stem cell transplant- Also called bone marrow transplant which is possible only if the patient has a matching donor(mostly siblings).This method is avoided until there is no other option left i.e. in very severe cases only.In this method ,firstly the bone marrow of the patient is depleted using radiations then new bone marrow is injected into the bloodstream.This method has life-threatening complications since the body may reject the new blood cells.


·         Immunosuppressants- involve drugs that suppress the activity of immune system called immunosuppressants for e.g. cyclosporine and anti-thymocyte globulin . By the use of these drugs immune cells that are damaging the  bone marrow are suppressed. Thus the bone marrow may recover to generate new blood cells. This method is used in patients for whom transplantation cant be done.


·         Bone marrow stimulants- Drugs are used which stimulate the bone marrow to produce new blood cells.



·         Antibiotics, antivirals –Medicines are used to prevent infections.


Research is still going on to find more appropriate treatment techniques which less complications than the existing ones.



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