Hemophilias are a group of disorders, which are among the most common and serious inherited bleeding disorders. Hemophilia is actually a collection of several different genetic disorders passed on by heredity. The two most common types are hemophilia A and hemophilia B. Hemophilia generally affects men. In fact, one third of 10000 men is born with hemophilia A. About 17000 Americans are born with the genetic disease that causes the disease. Globally, an estimated 500000 people are living with a form of hemophilia.
Two main varieties of hemophilia exist. Hemophilia A is responsible for eighty percent of all cases. The genetic disorders responsible for hemophilia A result in low levels or abnormal production of the clotting protein factor VIII (FVIII). Hemophilia B, the second most common form of hemophilia, affects factor IX proteins (FIX) and accounts for almost twenty percent of hemophilia cases.
Hemophilia is genetic disorder that affects over 18,000 people (most of whom are males) in the United States alone (National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute 2006). Hemophilia is caused by a deficiency in a gene on the X chromosome coding for a specific coagulating factor (National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute 2006) or the development of antibodies that destroy coagulating factors (Green 2006).
The types of treatment methods available today are plasma-derived products, recombinant coagulating factors, and gene therapy. Patients who develop an immune response to therapy or have acquired hemophilia are extremely difficult to treat (Mannucci 2003). The treatment options for these patients include prothrombin complex concentrates, activated recombinant factor VII therapies, and immunosuppressive drugs.
Patients with hemophilia should receive integrated care as soon as the diagnosis is made to reduce complications of hemophilia. Patients who suffer from mild to moderate hemophilia A will benefit with the use of intravenous DDAVP or intranasal DDAVP. Factor VIII replacement remains the mainstay of therapy for patients with hemophilia A for minor and major bleeding, whether it is plasma-derived or recombinant. The availability of factor VIII concentrates that are stable in home refrigerators have lead to the development of home care programs. Such programs have resulted in improved preservation of joint function. Hemophilia B is treated with purified factor IX for major and minor hemorrhages.
Hemophilias Treatment and Prevention Tips
1. Gene therapy is useful treatment of this condition.
2. Aminocaproic acid is commonly used for oral bleeding.
3. Plasmapheresis may help reduce the antibody load in those patients.
In general, the treatment of hemophilia for moderate and severe patients is either a plasma-derived concentrate, and we'll talk about that in some detail, or now available for both VIII and IX deficiency, recombinant factor VIII or factor IX concentrates. The benefits of gene cloning. These concentrates of either VIII or IX are extremely effective and if I don't leave you clearly with this message, there really is no doubt about their efficacy and currently in this day and age, they are extremely safe.
Antifibrinolytic Therapy.
Antifibrinolytic therapy is used to stabilize a clot by inhibiting the normal process of clot lysis by the fibrinolytic system. It is, therefore, very useful ancillary treatment in patients with hemorrhagic disorders. These agents provide important adjunctive therapy for the prevention or treatment of oral hemorrhage because saliva is a rich source of fibrinolytic enzymes. Two drugs are available: (1) epsilon aminocaproic acid (EACA) (Amicar) and (2) tranexamic acid (Cyklokapron).
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/how-to-treat-hemophilia-362623.html
Author: peterhutch
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