Or register here
Global Search

Trusted Resources: Evidence & Education

Scientific literature and patient education texts

Back to Evidence & Education / Patient Education

What you should know about sickle cell disease

key information

source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

year: N/A

summary/abstract:

What Is Sickle Cell Disease?

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a group of inherited red blood cell disorders.

• Healthy red blood cells are round and they move through small blood vessels carrying oxygen to all parts of the body.

• In SCD, the red blood cells become hard and sticky and look like a C-shaped farm tool called a “sickle”.

• Sickle cells die early, which causes a constant shortage of red blood cells.

• Sickle cells can get stuck in small blood vessels and block the flow of blood and oxygen to organs in the body. These blockages cause repeated episodes of severe pain, organ damage, serious infections, or even stroke.

 

What Causes Sickle Cell Disease?

SCD is inherited in the same way that people get the color of their eyes, skin, and hair.

• A person with SCD is born with it.

• People cannot catch SCD from being around a person who has it.

 

read more

Related Content

To improve your experience on this site, we use cookies. This includes cookies essential for the basic functioning of our website, cookies for analytics purposes, and cookies enabling us to personalize site content. By clicking on 'Accept' or any content on this site, you agree that cookies can be placed. You may adjust your browser's cookie settings to suit your preferences. More Information

The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.

Close

© 2026 rareLife solutions Inc.

To improve your experience on this site, we use cookies. This includes cookies essential for the basic functioning of our website, cookies for analytics purposes, and cookies enabling us to personalize site content. By clicking on 'Accept' or any content on this site, you agree that cookies can be placed. You may adjust your browser's cookie settings to suit your preferences. More Information

The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.

Close