Hemokromatos sahlgrenska
hemochromatosis
Bezzy communities provide meaningful connections with others living with chronic conditions. Join Bezzy on the web or mobile app. Hemochromatosis is a disorder that causes your body to absorb too much iron. Blood tests that measure iron levels in your blood and liver can help diagnose the condition. The medical disorder hemochromatosis causes a buildup of excess iron in your body.
The excess iron is typically stored in your liver, heart, pancreas, and other organs.
Blood Tests for Hemochromatosis
Excess iron in your body and organs can lead to serious health conditions, including diabetes, heart conditions, and liver disease. Blood tests that measure your iron levels are the primary way doctors and healthcare professionals confirm a diagnosis of hemochromatosis. Read more about hemochromatosis. Doctors use two primary blood tests to measure iron levels in your body and diagnose hemochromatosis: serum transferrin saturation and serum ferritin.
Often, the results of these blood tests are the first sign that someone has hemochromatosis. Serum transferrin saturation measures how much iron is bound to a protein called transferrin that carries iron in your blood.
Hematologimottagning Sahlgrenska
Serum ferritin measures how much iron is stored in your liver. Normal iron levels can vary by age, sex, and other individual factors. You might have these tests more than once so that a doctor can assess your iron levels at different times of day. This can improve test accuracy. Other conditions can cause similar results, such as liver disease.
HFE genotyp - Sahlgrenska Universitetssjukhuset
There are several conditions that can raise your hemoglobin levels. These include diseases that affect your bone marrow and your heart. It also includes factors that make it hard for your body to get enough blood oxygen, such as smoking or living at a high altitude. If your serum transferrin saturation and serum ferritin levels are high, a doctor will likely order a range of other tests.
Common tests include:. As your iron levels build up, symptoms can develop. These might include:. Over time, hemochromatosis can also lead to complications. These can include heart failure , diabetes , and serious liver damage. The primary treatment for hemochromatosis is called phlebotomy.
This treatment is similar to donating blood. During treatment, a medical technician will remove a small amount of blood from a vein in your arm, usually around mL. Along with your phlebotomy treatments, a doctor might recommend that you take some home lifestyle steps. Typically, this includes avoiding supplements that can increase iron absorption, such as:.
Hemochromatosis is a disorder that causes your body to store too much iron. Over time, this can lead to organ damage and serious complications. Blood tests are one of the key ways doctors can confirm a diagnosis of hemochromatosis. Additional testing might include MRI, genetic testing, and a liver biopsy.