Be Aware of Hemochromatosis the Iron Overload Disease

Hereditary hemochromatosis is a genetic disease that causes the body to absorb and store too much iron. Hemochromatosis gets its name from "hemo" for blood and "chroma" for colour, referring to the characteristic bronze skin tone caused by iron overload. But skin tone is not a reliable indicator for hemochromatosis as many sufferers do not exhibit the bronze colouration.

Hemochromatosis causes excess iron storage in several different organs of the body including the liver, pancreas, endocrine glands, heart, skin, joints, and intestinal lining. This build-up of iron can lead to serious complications, is associated with hepatic cirrhosis, primary liver cancer, diabetes mellitus, other endocrinopathy, arthropathy, and cardiomyopathy and with reduced longevity.

It is estimated that about 5% of cirrhosis cases are caused by hereditary hemochromatosis. Patients who have cirrhosis due to hereditary hemochromatosis have a 20% chance of developing diabetes. Cirrhosis can cause a number of complications and can ultimately lead to liver failure or death. People with cirrhosis are also at increased risk for developing liver cancer. Liver disease is often worse in people with hereditary hemochromatosis who also have chronic hepatitis or are alcoholics,

Hemochromatosis is often undiagnosed and untreated. It is considered rare and doctors may not think to test for it. Hemochromatosis is manageable when detected early but usually by the time symptoms become evident, severe organ damage has already occurred. Because symptoms develop only after tissue injury, diagnosis before symptoms develop is desirable.

Patients with early hemochromatosis have no symptoms and are unaware of their condition. Many people have no symptoms when they are diagnosed. The initial symptoms can be diverse, vague and mimic the symptoms of many other diseases.

Symptoms are often exhibited by men between the ages of 30 and 50 and in women over 50, but some patients may develop problems as early as 20. When the body has stored 20 grams or more of iron, symptoms of hemochromatosis become evident. This may take up 4 to 6 decades. As females lose iron through menstrual blood loss, they develop organ damage from iron accumulation 15 to 20 years later than men on average.

Because iron build-up is often present and silently causing problems in men, women, adolescents and in rare cases children long before symptoms occur, hereditary hemochromatosis should not be considered a disease of only men and older people.

While hemochromatosis is usually caused by a HFE defect, juvenile hemochromatosis and neonatal hemochromatosis are two forms of the disease that are not. The juvenile form causes liver and heart disease and severe iron overload in young adults and adolescents between the ages of 15 and 30. The neonatal form causes rapid iron build-up in a baby's liver which can lead to death.

Hereditary hemochromatosis treatment is life-long. It is done by phlebotomy (removing blood) from the patient in order to lower the level of iron. During the initial de-ironing phase when the iron levels have to be reduced to normal, the patients have frequent phlebotomy until the iron stores are depleted. When the iron levels return to normal, treatment may only be several times a year. If treatment is begun in time, the patient will return to a normal life span and most if not all of the symptoms will be reversed.

With 1 in 10 of the population being a carrier, and 1 in every 200 to 300 being a sufferer, a significant percentage of the population is at risk from hemochromatosis. This worldwide genetic disorder has a high incidence in populations of Northern European origins. It is important that you get tested if you have a family history of the disease. Fortunately with increased awareness this is now happening. It is important to diagnose hemochromatosis early as it can be treated easily.

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Hemochromatosis -Too much iron is damaging the health of millions. Most people, including physicians, are unaware of this disease. For more Iron Overload Information, visit Dr Chris Whittington's site.

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