blood disorders
Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT)
Introduction
Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia is a hereditary disorder in which blood vessels are malformed, making them fragile and prone to bleeding. Dilated blood vessels (telangiectasia) are present on the skin and the lining of the mouth, nose, and digestive tract. When blood vessels break, people develop active bleeding from these vessels, especially those within the nose. Usually the appearance of the dilated blood vessels on the lips and tongue give doctors enough information to make a diagnosis. Doctors stop the episode of bleeding and may give iron supplements or blood transfusions if the bleeding has caused anemia. Blood vessels under the skin may break and bleed, causing small, red-to-violet discolorations, especially on the face, lips, lining of the mouth and nose, and tips of the fingers and toes. Severe Nosebleeds may also occur. Small blood vessels in the digestive and urinary tracts, as well as in the brain, liver, lungs, and spinal cord, may also be affected, causing bleeding in these sites. If bleeding episodes occur frequently, many people develop a low level of iron in their blood ( Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia is a genetic disorder, which means people pass on the mutated genes to their children. Some of the genes have been identified. 