Severe Aplastic Anemia

Severe aplastic anemia occurs when the bone marrow fails to produce enough blood cells because the stem cells in the marrow that normally become the three types of blood cells (red, white and platelets) are damaged.

The condition can be hereditary or can be acquired at a later age. It is most common in people in their teens and twenties. Aplastic anemia is classified as “severe” according to blood counts.

It is usually treated with immunosuppressive drugs, blood transfusions or with a hematopoietic stem cell transplant.