What is hemochromatosis PDF?
Hemochromatosis is a disorder associated with deposits of an excess of iron that causes multiple organ dysfunctions. Normally. iron absorption is tightly regulated because the body is incapable of excreting excess iron. Hemochromatosis occurs when there are. high pathologic levels of iron accumulation in the body.
What race is hemochromatosis most common?
Ethnicity. People of Northern European descent are more prone to hereditary hemochromatosis than are people of other ethnic backgrounds. Hemochromatosis is less common in people of Black, Hispanic and Asian ancestry.
What is hereditary hemochromatosis?
Hereditary hemochromatosis is a genetic disorder that can cause severe liver disease and other health problems. Early diagnosis and treatment is critical to prevent complications from the disorder. If you have a family health history of hemochromatosis, talk to your doctor about testing for hereditary hemochromatosis.
Can I get disability for hemochromatosis?
Genetic haemochromatosis qualifies as a disability under the Equality Act 2010. Under the Act, genetic haemochromatosis represents a protected characteristic – a “physical or mental impairment” which has “a substantial and long-term adverse effect” on someone’s “ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities”.
What are warning signs of hemochromatosis?
Initial symptoms of haemochromatosis can include:
- feeling very tired all the time (fatigue)
- weight loss.
- weakness.
- joint pain.
- an inability to get or maintain an erection (erectile dysfunction)
- irregular periods or absent periods.
Does hemochromatosis affect your teeth?
Genetic haemochromatosis (GH) is responsible for iron overload. Increased transferrin saturation (TSAT) has been associated with severe periodontitis, which is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting tissues surrounding the teeth and is related to dysbiosis of the subgingival microbiota.
How do you know if you have hereditary hemochromatosis?
Common early symptoms of classic hereditary hemochromatosis include joint inflammation and pain (arthritis) especially in the small joints of the fingers, fatigue, weakness, abdominal pain, unintended weight loss, and an abnormally enlarged liver (hepatomegaly).
Can you die from hemochromatosis?
Treatment may help prevent, delay, or sometimes reverse complications of the disease. Treatment also may lead to better quality of life. For people who are diagnosed and treated early, a normal lifespan is possible. If left untreated, hemochromatosis can lead to severe organ damage and even death.
How many people have hemochromatosis?
Hemochromatosis affects about 1 million people. Primary Hemochromatosis mainly affects caucasians of Northern European descent . Without treatment, iron may build up in the organs and cause complications, including cirrhosis .
What is the HFE gene?
Human homeostatic iron regulator protein also known as the HFE protein is a protein which in humans is encoded by the HFE gene. The HFE gene is located on short arm of chromosome 6 at location 6p21.3.
What is a hemochromatosis test?
A hemochromatosis test, also called an HFE test, analyzes a blood sample of a patient for a hereditary gene which causes hemochromatosis, a condition in which the body absorbs too much iron.