Modern Health Therapy

Treatment

Traditional treatment of hemochromatosis is the periodic removal of blood (phlebotomy) as done during blood donation. The blood could be drawn with a frequency of once per week until iron levels decrease to normal. After this procedure, phlebotomy usually needs to be done every two to four months or so to maintain normal blood iron levels. It will monitor your blood count to make sure there’s too much blood is removed, which can lead to anemia. May recommendchanges in your diet and you also may need treatment for specific disorders such asdiabetes.

Another approach to treatment called chelation therapy, whereby a drug called deferoxamine (Desferal) binds to iron, eliminated from the body and thus lower levels of stored iron. However, phlebotomy is so effective and simple chelation therapy is rarely used. (more…)

Diagnosis

Your doctor will ask detailed questions about your medical history, examine you and ask you several tests to measure the amount of iron in blood. It is often recommended a liver biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. In this procedure, you will receive local anesthesia and remove a small portion of tissue from your liver to examine ellaboratorio. Some experts recommend that all adults get tested to measure the amount of iron in the blood as a way to detect this disorder. However, not all experts agree that it is useful.

There are genetic tests available for one of the most common genes associated with this disorder (found in up to 90 percent of people with hemochromatosis) but not all people with this gene have the disease. In people with abnormally high levels of iron in blood and genetic testing positive, liver biopsy may not be necessary. (more…)

Hemochromatosis is a genetic disorder (inherited) in which the gut absorbs too much iron. Excess iron is deposited in tissues and organs, where they can become toxic and cause damage.

Hemochromatosis occurs most commonly in people of northern European descent, especially the Scots, Irish or English and affects up to one in 250 people in the United States. Hemochromatosis is most commonly diagnosed in people between 40 and 60. In women, is usually diagnosed after menopause.

Symptoms

Early symptoms of hemochromatosis vary from person to person and are symptoms that can occur in other conditions, these include: (more…)