Key Points

• Aplastic anemia is a blood disorder in which the body's bone marrow doesn't make enough new blood cells.
• This can lead to a number of health problems, such as arrhythmias, an enlarged heart, heart failure, infections, and bleeding. Severe aplastic anemia can even cause death.
• Aplastic anemia is a type of anemia. The term "anemia" usually refers to a condition in which your blood has a lower than normal number of red blood cells. Anemia also can occur if your red blood cells don't contain enough hemoglobin, an iron-rich protein that helps carry oxygen to your body.
• In people who have aplastic anemia, the body doesn't make enough red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets. This is because the bone marrow's stem cells are damaged.
• A number of diseases, conditions, or factors can cause damage to the stem cells. These causes can be acquired or inherited. In more than half of the people who have aplastic anemia, the cause is unknown.
• Aplastic anemia is a rare, but serious blood disorder. People of all ages can get aplastic anemia, but it's more common in adolescents, young adults, and the elderly.
• Low numbers of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets cause most of the signs and symptoms of aplastic anemia. Signs and symptoms may include fatigue (tiredness); shortness of breath; dizziness; headache; coldness in your hands and feet; pale skin, gums, and nail beds; chest pain; infections; and bleeding.
• Your doctor will diagnose aplastic anemia based on your medical and family histories, a physical exam, and test results.
• Treatments for aplastic anemia include blood transfusions, blood and marrow stem cell transplants, and medicines. These treatments can prevent or limit complications, relieve symptoms, and improve quality of life.
• Blood and marrow stem cell transplants may offer a cure for some people who have the disorder. Removing a known cause of aplastic anemia, such as exposure to a toxin, also may cure the condition.
• With prompt and proper care, most people who have aplastic anemia can be successfully treated. It's important to get ongoing medical care to make sure the disorder doesn't return and to check for possible complications.