Are Sickle Cell Crises Preventable?
More Programs and Publications Featuring Dr. Seethal Jacob
In this program:
Can sickle cell pain crises be prevented? Watch as expert Dr. Seethal Jacob shares some common triggers of sickle cell pain crisis and her recommended prevention methods and medications to fight against pain crises.
Transcript
Leo Hesse:
I have heard about crises among sickle cell patients around the world, in fact, we had one here in the UK, where a gentleman passed away because nurses failed to provide him with oxygen. Is sickle cell's crisis preventable? And if so, can you please share, share some insight into that with us today?
Dr. Seethal Jacob:
Yeah, that's a great question. The best prevention for any complication of sickle cell disease, including a crisis is honestly, some of the treatments that we have for sickle cell disease currently, including things like hydroxyurea (Hydrea), blood transfusions for some, as well as some of the newer medications that have come out like l-glutamine, voxelotor (Oxbryta), or crizanlizumab (Adakveo). That's the number one way to prevent a crisis, but then there are also things that we can do every day. We counsel our patients a lot about whether there are certain things that tend to trigger a pain crisis for them, it might be extremes in weather conditions, it could be swimming in a cold pool, it could be stress during exams or at work or during life, it could also be dehydration that can trigger a crisis. So looking at those things and paying attention to your body and trying to prevent those potential triggers is important, and then we also talk to our families a lot about healthy living and nutrition. A good amount of exercise every week is good for the body, it's good for the muscles, it's good for the blood flow, but also focusing on your nutrition, making sure that you're getting all your vitamins and minerals that your body needs, and staying hydrated and keeping your body as healthy as possible.
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