Blood Disorders: An Overview

Blood is living tissue made of liquid and solids. The liquid part, plasma, is water, salts and protein, and makes up more than half of the blood. The solid part consists of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.

Blood disorders affect one or more of these parts and prevent the blood from doing its job. They can be acute or chronic.

Causes

Many blood disorders are inherited. Others result from other diseases, from side effects of medicines, or from a diet lacking certain nutrients.

Types

• Platelet disorders, excessive clotting and bleeding problems, which affect how the blood clots.
• Anemia, in which the blood does not carry enough oxygen to the rest of the body.
• Blood cancers, such as leukemia and myeloma.
• Eosinophilic disorders, problems with one type of white blood cell.

Sources

• MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, "Blood Disorders": https://medlineplus.gov/blooddisorders.html