National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Blood Disorders is the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
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National Institutes of Health
Blood Disorders
Also called: Hematologic diseases
Your blood is living tissue made up of liquid and solids. The liquid part, called plasma, is made of water, salts and protein. Over half of your blood is plasma. The solid part of your blood contains red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.
Blood disorders affect one or more parts of the blood and prevent your blood from doing its job. They can be acute or chronic. Many blood disorders are inherited. Other causes include other diseases, side effects of medicines, and a lack of certain nutrients in your diet.
Types of blood disorders include
- Platelet disorders and other bleeding problems, which affect how your blood clots
- Anemia, which happens when your blood does not carry enough oxygen to the rest of your body
- Cancers of the blood, such as leukemia and myeloma
- Eosinophilic disorders, which are problems with one type of white blood cell.
The top row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Basics
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Learn More
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Multimedia & Cool Tools
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For group Learn More
For group Multimedia & Cool Tools
The bottom row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Research
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Reference Shelf
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For You
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Latest News
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Rare Cancers Yield Potential Source of Tumor Growth(09/17/2012, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
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Rare Cancers Yield Potential Source of Tumor Growth
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Diagnosis/Symptoms
- Blood Smear(American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
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Blood Tests(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
- Complete Blood Count(American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
- Hemoglobin Variants(American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
- Symptoms and Diagnosis of Blood Disorders(Merck & Co., Inc.)
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Treatment
- How Is Lymphocytopenia Treated?(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
- How Is Polycythemia Vera Treated?(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
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Specific Conditions
- Eosinophilia(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Hemoglobin C, S-C, and E Diseases(Merck & Co., Inc.)
- High Red Blood Cell Count(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Lymphocytopenia(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
- Lymphocytosis (High Lymphocyte Count)(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Neutropenia (Low Neutrophil Count)(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Plasma Cell Disorders(Merck & Co., Inc.)
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Polycythemia Vera(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
- White Blood Cell Disorders(Merck & Co., Inc.)
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Related Issues
- Blood Disorders (and Oral Health)(Columbia University, College of Dental Medicine)
- Blood Poisoning: When to See a Doctor(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Lupus and Blood Disorders(Lupus Foundation of America)
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Videos
- How Hereditary Spherocytosis Causes Anemia(American Society of Hematology)
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Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Hematologic Diseases(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Hematologic Diseases
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Genetics
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Genetics Home Reference: Aceruloplasminemia(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Congenital plasminogen deficiency(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Cyclic neutropenia(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Dyserythropoietic anemia and thrombocytopenia(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Familial erythrocytosis(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Hereditary spherocytosis(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Jacobsen syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: McLeod neuroacanthocytosis syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Methemoglobinemia, beta-globin type(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Neuroferritinopathy(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Polycythemia vera(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Severe congenital neutropenia(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: X-linked sideroblastic anemia(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Aceruloplasminemia
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
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Dictionaries/Glossaries
- Hematology Glossary(American Society of Hematology)
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Directories
- Find a Hematologist(American Society of Hematology)
- Red Cross Blood Services Regions(American Red Cross)
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Organizations
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Patient Handouts
- Hyperviscosity - newborn
- Also available in Spanish
- Neutropenia - infants
- Also available in Spanish
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You may also be interested in these related encyclopedia pages:
MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA
- Agranulocytosis
- Arterial stick
- Blood differential
- Blood smear
- Blood typing
- Capillary sample
- CBC
- Coombs' test
- Cord blood
- Donath-Landsteiner test
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Haptoglobin
Hematocrit
Hemoglobin
Hemoglobin C disease
Hemoglobin electrophoresis
Hemoglobinopathy
Hemolytic crisis
Hereditary elliptocytosis
Hereditary ovalocytosis
Hyperviscosity - newborn
Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase
Methemoglobinemia
Methemoglobinemia - acquired
Methylene blue test
Neutropenia - infants
Osmotic fragility
Paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria (PCH)
Polychromatophilia
Pyruvate kinase deficiency
RBC count
RBC indices
Serum hemoglobin
Sugar-water hemolysis test
Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome
Venipuncture
WBC count
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Haptoglobin
