blood disorders
Overview of Blood Disorders
Introduction
Disorders that affect the blood are called blood disorders or hematologic disorders. There are many blood disorders, and they can affect the quantity as well as the function of the cells in the blood (blood cells) or proteins in the How Blood Clots or Some blood disorders cause the number of cells in the blood todecrease: A decreased number of Red Blood Cells is called A decreased number of White Blood Cells is called A decreased number of Platelets is called Other blood disorders cause the numbers of blood cells toincrease: An increased number of red blood cells is called Polycythemia Vera . An increased number of white blood cells is called Overview of White Blood Cell Disorders . An increased number of platelets is called thrombocytosis or Essential Thrombocythemia . Other blood disorders affect proteins within the blood cells or Plasma (the liquid portion of the blood): Hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein inside red blood cells Immune system proteins, such as Overview of the Immune System (also called immunoglobulins) Overview of Blood Clotting Disorders factors Blood flows to every cell in the body and is important to the health and function of all of the body's organs. Blood cells are produced in the bone marrow, and many blood proteins are made in the liver or the blood cells themselves. Blood cells and blood proteins provide the following functions: Red blood cells contain hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to every part of the body. White blood cells and antibodies fight infections and cancers. Platelets and blood clotting factors make bleeding stop or prevent bleeding from occurring. Symptoms of Blood Disorders resulting from disruption of these functions, and symptoms can arise from any tissues and organs that are adversely affected. Doctors will ask about a person's symptoms and do a Medical History and Physical Examination for Blood Disorders , but often, the presence of a blood disorder is first discovered by a 