Blood dyscrasia generally refers to a blood disorder in which a part of the blood is not present in the normal supply. Different components of the blood, such as platelets or white or red blood cells, can be very high or very low in counts. It is worth noting that sometimes the disease of the blood has to do with interference with the normal functioning of the blood, as in coagulation diseases caused by a lack of protein, such as in von Willebrand disease, where the proteins necessary to cause blood clotting are not normally available. Therefore, when abnormal function of the blood or its components is present, people are thought to have a blood dyscrasia, and the dyscrasia can be considered synonymous with disease.
There are many different types of blood dyscrasia. As mentioned, von Willebrand disease occurs when there are poor amounts of the proteins that form blood clots. Another serious disease like this is hemophilia. Diseases similar to blood coagulation that affect proteins are those that affect platelets. Various forms of thrombocytopenia, or low platelet counts, can cause a severe decrease in platelet production, which can also lead to excessive bleeding. Thrombocytopenia can be induced by treatments such as chemotherapy or by disease, and can occasionally be a congenital condition.
Blood dyscrasia can refer to diseases that affect white blood cells. Some of these are extremely serious, such as leukemia. Such a blood disorder may require a variety of interventions to try to produce a cure, and very severe forms of leukemia may be difficult or impossible to treat.
Other forms of blood dyscrasia are found in diseases of the red blood cells. Sickle cell anemia is one of these, and it is a painful and difficult condition that can affect children early on. Many different types of anemia are dyscrasias. A person could have mild anemia or a low red blood cell count as a result of severe bleeding, such as hemorrhaging. Alternatively, some lifelong conditions interfere with the proper production of red blood cells and may need treatment by various means.
Given the different types of blood dyscrasia or the many expressions of blood diseases, discussion of treatment or outcome is challenging. A transient disorder can be easily repaired, and a lifelong disorder may have useful treatment. Typically, the only way to determine how to address a blood disorder is to see a qualified physician, test your blood levels, and with that, the physician makes determinations on the best treatment. Treatments may include medications, blood product transfusions, chemotherapy, or even bone marrow transplantation, but it all depends on what dyscrasia is present.