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Haematology guides
24 plain-English, evidence-linked guides in Haematology, with clinical review status shown on each page.
Anaemia investigation and management (Investigation and management of anaemia)Finding out why someone is anaemic (a low level of healthy red cells or haemoglobin) and treating both the anaemia and its underlying cause.Anticoagulation (blood-thinning treatment) (Anticoagulation management)Treatment with blood-thinning medicine to lower the risk of harmful clots — for example after a DVT or lung clot, or with atrial fibrillation — balanced carefully against the risk of bleeding.Bleeding disorder assessment (Assessment for a bleeding disorder)A careful review of your bleeding and bruising history, often with a structured bleeding questionnaire and blood tests, to find out whether you have a condition that makes you bleed more easily.Blood clot (thrombosis) assessment (Assessment for venous thromboembolism (DVT and pulmonary embolism))A set of checks — using your symptoms, a risk score, a blood test and usually a scan — to find out whether you have a blood clot in a deep vein (DVT) or lung (pulmonary embolism), or to work out why one happened.Blood transfusion (Transfusion of blood components (red cells, platelets, plasma))Receiving donated blood, or part of blood, through a thin tube into a vein, usually to treat severe anaemia, blood loss or low blood counts.Bone marrow test (Bone marrow aspiration and trephine biopsy)A test where small samples of the soft tissue inside a bone (usually the back of the hip) are taken with a needle to look closely at how your blood cells are being made.Chemotherapy (Cytotoxic chemotherapy (systemic anti-cancer therapy))Medicines that kill or slow down cancer cells, used in blood cancers and many other conditions, given as a drip, injection or tablets.Full blood count review (Full blood count (FBC) and interpretation)A common blood test that counts your red cells, white cells and platelets, reviewed by a clinician to help explain symptoms or check your general health.Haematology consultation (Clinical haematology outpatient consultation)An appointment with a blood specialist (haematologist) to look into an abnormal blood result or symptom, work out the cause, and agree what should happen next.Haemophilia treatment and care (Haemophilia management)Lifelong, specialist-led care for haemophilia — an inherited bleeding disorder — using clotting factor replacement or other treatments to prevent and control bleeding, mainly into joints and muscles.Iron infusion (intravenous iron) (Intravenous iron therapy)Giving iron straight into a vein through a drip to treat iron deficiency when iron tablets cannot be used or are not working.Leukaemia diagnosis and management (Diagnosis and management of leukaemia)Diagnosing leukaemia, a cancer of the blood cells, working out its exact type, and planning treatment or monitoring with a specialist blood-cancer team.Lymphoma diagnosis and management (Diagnosis and management of lymphoma)Diagnosing lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system, identifying the exact type and stage, and planning treatment or monitoring with a specialist blood-cancer team.Myelodysplastic syndrome management (Management of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS))Looking after people with a myelodysplastic syndrome, a group of bone marrow disorders that lower the blood counts, using monitoring, supportive care and, for some, more intensive treatment.Myeloma diagnosis and management (Diagnosis and management of myeloma (multiple myeloma))Diagnosing myeloma, a cancer of plasma cells in the bone marrow, and planning treatment and supportive care with a specialist blood-cancer team.Myeloproliferative disorder management (Management of myeloproliferative neoplasms (e.g. polycythaemia vera))Ongoing care for conditions where the bone marrow makes too many blood cells, aiming mainly to lower the risk of blood clots and ease symptoms.Platelet disorder assessment (Assessment of platelet disorders)Finding out why a platelet count is too low or too high, and what it means, using blood tests and, where needed, a specialist haematology review.Raised or abnormal blood count investigation (Investigation of an abnormal full blood count)The set of tests used to find out why a blood count is abnormal, ranging from repeat blood tests to, sometimes, a bone marrow test.Sickle cell and thalassaemia management (Management of sickle cell disease and thalassaemia)Ongoing, specialist care for inherited blood conditions affecting the red cells, aiming to prevent complications, manage pain and treat anaemia.Swollen glands and spleen check (Assessment of lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly)A specialist check to find out why a lymph node (gland) or the spleen is enlarged, and whether any further tests are needed.Targeted and immunotherapy treatment (Targeted anti-cancer therapy and immunotherapy)Newer cancer medicines that either block a specific feature inside cancer cells or help the immune system attack them, used in many blood cancers.Thrombophilia screening (clotting tendency test) (Thrombophilia testing)Blood tests that look for an inherited or acquired tendency to form clots. They are only useful in selected situations, because in most people the result does not change treatment.Vitamin B12 deficiency management (Diagnosis and management of vitamin B12 deficiency)Diagnosing and treating a lack of vitamin B12, usually with injections or tablets, while working out the cause and whether treatment needs to be lifelong.Von Willebrand disease management (Management of von Willebrand disease)Looking after people with von Willebrand disease, the most common inherited bleeding disorder, so that bleeding is prevented and controlled around periods, injuries, dental work and surgery.
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