The Job of a Hematologist
Haematologists are specialists in the study, diagnosis,
treatment and also prevention of diseases that relate specifically to the
blood. Not all abnormal blood tests will lead to the treatment of a hematologist Denver, only those that indicate a specifically blood-related illness and
procedures.
Hematologists can further specialize in
individual blood disorders such as:
- White blood cell imbalances, which can impede the immune system's ability to fight against bacteria and viruses.
- Red blood cell imbalances, in which the body's supply of red blood cells falls for some reason. Red blood cells are needed for moving oxygen around the body.
- Iron imbalances, in which the body doesn't deal with iron as well as it could, which is one of the chief causes of anemia.
- Blood cancers such as leukemia or Hodgkin's disease.
Medical conditions that frequently require
patients to seek care from a hematologist Denver include:
Hypercoagulable
Conditions
When the skin is cut or injured, the blood works to form
a clot to close the opening. This process is called coagulation, and it is
important because if the blood doesn’t clot quickly enough the patient may
bleed out. Hyper coagulation occurs when the blood clots too easily. This can
lead to clots where there is no injury, inside of the blood vessel. Because
blood circulates, blood clots can be taken to any part of the body. If the clot
flows from a larger vessel to a smaller one, the clot can completely block that
vessel and cause serious medical conditions such as:
Pulmonary
Embolism
Pulmonary embolisms occur when a blood clot blocks a
major blood vessel in the lung. Blood clots in the lung can cause serious
damage to the lung tissue and even cause a portion of the lung to die.
Deep
Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
DVT, like pulmonary embolisms, occur when a blood clot
blocks off an artery in a part of the body (other than the lungs, brain, or
heart). DVT’s most commonly occur in the legs and can be very painful. In the
most extreme cases, complete loss of the use of the limb may occur.
Stroke
Strokes happen when a blood clot cuts off the flow of
blood in the brain. Strokes may be minor and have no lasting side effects, or
they may result in brain damage that can affect speech, vision, movement,
memory, and more.
Cardiac
Arrest
Also known as a heart attack, cardiac arrest frequently
occurs when a blood clot is stuck in a vessel leading into or out of the heart.
Blood conditions are usually manageable with the right treatment. During your
first hematology appointment, you'll want to get to know your specialist's
level of experience and assess their ability to treat you. You may be
working with this person for a long time, so you owe it to yourself to decide
early whether you and your hematologist can get along.
A hematologist-oncologist is a physician trained
in hematology (the study of blood) and oncology (study of
cancer). He or she specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and/or
prevention of disorders and cancers that affect the blood, bone marrow and the
immunologic, hemostatic (controls bleeding) and vascular systems, such as:
·
Iron-deficiency
anemia
·
Hemophilia
·
Sickle-cell
disease
·
Leukemia
·
Lymphoma
These physicians specialize in treating blood cancers. A
hematologist-oncologist may also specialize in the management of solid tumors.
In most cases, however, hematologists-oncologist don’t treat operable cancers
like prostate cancer.
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