Haemophilia is a medical condition in which there is an aberration in a person’s ability to coagulate blood. In layman’s terms, people who suffer from haemophilia are often referred to as having a "bleeding tendency." Haemophilia is the commonest disorder of coagulation and is an inherited condition. There are two types of Haemophilia: Haemophilia A and Haemophilia B.
Coagulation of blood is controlled by different clotting factors found in the blood, as well as blood platelets. Haemophilia A is due to a deficiency in factor VIII of the clotting factors. Haemophilia B is due to a deficiency in factor IX.
Bleeding or injury leads to the trigger of a complex clotting cascade. Platelets in the blood initially arrive at the site of injury, as an acute response to achieve haemostasis. Clotting factors are involved in the subsequent response to trauma, as platelet binding causes activation of the coagulation pathway. The coagulation cascade has two pathways, extrinsic and intrinsic, which both lead to the end goal of fibrin formation. Fibrin forms a mesh-like structure that assists blood clot formation, as other factors involved in blood clotting can adhere to this framework.
Calcium, Vitamin K and phospholipids also contribute to the clotting pathway.
The symptoms due to haemophilia may differ, depending on the severity. Some may only experience mild episodes, while others may experience life-threatening haemorrhages.
Mild haemophilia is classified when there is more than five percent of clotting factors present and active, moderate haemophilia is when there is between one and five percent of factors present, and severe haemophilia occurs when there is less than one percent of the clotting factor present.
Haemophilia is treated with factor replacement or FFPs (Fresh Frozen Plasma).
Haemophilia is a medical condition in which there is an aberration in a person’s ability to coagulate blood. In layman’s terms, people who suffer from haemophilia are often referred to as having a "bleeding tendency." Haemophilia is the commonest disorder of coagulation and is an inherited condition. There are two types of Haemophilia: Haemophilia A and Haemophilia B.
Coagulation of blood is controlled by different clotting factors found in the blood, as well as blood platelets. Haemophilia A is due to a deficiency in factor VIII of the clotting factors. Haemophilia B is due to a deficiency in factor IX.
Bleeding or injury leads to the trigger of a complex clotting cascade. Platelets in the blood initially arrive at the site of injury, as an acute response to achieve haemostasis. Clotting factors are involved in the subsequent response to trauma, as platelet binding causes activation of the coagulation pathway. The coagulation cascade has two pathways, extrinsic and intrinsic, which both lead to the end goal of fibrin formation. Fibrin forms a mesh-like structure that assists blood clot formation, as other factors involved in blood clotting can adhere to this framework.
Calcium, Vitamin K and phospholipids also contribute to the clotting pathway.
The symptoms due to haemophilia may differ, depending on the severity. Some may only experience mild episodes, while others may experience life-threatening haemorrhages.
Mild haemophilia is classified when there is more than five percent of clotting factors present and active, moderate haemophilia is when there is between one and five percent of factors present, and severe haemophilia occurs when there is less than one percent of the clotting factor present.
Haemophilia is treated with factor replacement or FFPs (Fresh Frozen Plasma).
Haemophilia is usually suspected when a person has a prolonged bleeding time after a minimal event such as drawing blood, teeth extraction or a superficial abrasion that doesn’t heal. Trauma may also precipitate an abnormal bleeding response, e.g. bleed into a joint after a minor fall.
Internal or external haemorrhages range from mild to moderate bleeding episodes, depending on the severity of haemophilia that a person has. Haemophilia usually presents in childhood, and if severe, may present within the first two years of life.
Common symptoms include:
Haemophilia is a genetic, sex-linked disorder that carried by the X-chromosomes. X-chromosome linkage implies that mainly males are affected, as they have only one X-chromosome and one Y-chromosome.
Females can be the genetic “carriers" of haemophilia, as they have two X chromosomes, and an additive healthy X-chromosome may minimise the effects of the X-gene carrying haemophilia. It is estimated that about one-third of carrier females may have mild bleeding tendencies although most female carriers are asymptomatic. A female may have haemophilia if her mother is a carrier, and her father has haemophilia- thus receiving two abnormal X-genes.
A mother with a carrier gene has 25% chance of affecting her son, and 25% chance of her daughter inheriting the gene.
Haemophilia A occurs in about five to ten percent of cases. Different genetic mutations give rise to haemophilia A. Haemophilia B is more common, and occurs in eighty percent of cases.
Maintain a healthy weight. Obesity or being overweight can worsen complications associated with haemophilia, especially secondary osteoarthritis due to recurrent intra-articular bleeds.
Foods that have a natural anticoagulant effect should be avoided. These include:
Supplements that decreases blood clotting and should be avoided include:
Haemophilia is usually suspected when a person has a prolonged bleeding time after a minimal event such as drawing blood, teeth extraction or a superficial abrasion that doesn’t heal. Trauma may also precipitate an abnormal bleeding response, e.g. bleed into a joint after a minor fall.
Internal or external haemorrhages range from mild to moderate bleeding episodes, depending on the severity of haemophilia that a person has. Haemophilia usually presents in childhood, and if severe, may present within the first two years of life.
Common symptoms include:
Haemophilia is a genetic, sex-linked disorder that carried by the X-chromosomes. X-chromosome linkage implies that mainly males are affected, as they have only one X-chromosome and one Y-chromosome.
Females can be the genetic “carriers" of haemophilia, as they have two X chromosomes, and an additive healthy X-chromosome may minimise the effects of the X-gene carrying haemophilia. It is estimated that about one-third of carrier females may have mild bleeding tendencies although most female carriers are asymptomatic. A female may have haemophilia if her mother is a carrier, and her father has haemophilia- thus receiving two abnormal X-genes.
A mother with a carrier gene has 25% chance of affecting her son, and 25% chance of her daughter inheriting the gene.
Haemophilia A occurs in about five to ten percent of cases. Different genetic mutations give rise to haemophilia A. Haemophilia B is more common, and occurs in eighty percent of cases.
Maintain a healthy weight. Obesity or being overweight can worsen complications associated with haemophilia, especially secondary osteoarthritis due to recurrent intra-articular bleeds.
Foods that have a natural anticoagulant effect should be avoided. These include:
Supplements that decreases blood clotting and should be avoided include: