4/20/15
English 4
Prolonging Life Expectancy
There are new ways to treat SCD such as the drug hydroxyurea. This drug has actually stopped Crises from happening. People with SCD were only expected to live for 14 years. In today's society people are living 5x as longer. Children with CD are very susceptible to infections, usually because their damaged spleens are unable to protect them from bacteria. Signs of damaged lung functions can occur very young children. As children with SCD live longer, older patients are now facing medical problems related to the long-term adverse effects of the disease process. The most severe complications are acute chest syndrome, long-term damage to major organs, stroke, and complications during pregnancy such as high blood pressure in the mother and low birth weight in the infant. This happens because they did not have the resources back then that they now have in today;s world. 50% of patients with sickle cell anemia survived way beyond the fifth decade. A large proportion of those who died had no chronic organ failure but died during an acute episode of pain, chest syndrome, or stroke. Early mortality was highest among patients whose disease was symptomatic. A high level of fetal hemoglobin predicted improved survival and is probably a reliable childhood forecaster of adult life expectancy.
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