Hemolysis Overview
Learn About Hemolysis
Red blood cells normally live for 110 to 120 days. After that, they naturally break down and are most often removed from the circulation by the spleen.
Some diseases and processes cause red blood cells to break down too soon. This requires the bone marrow to make more red blood cells than normal. The balance between red blood cell breakdown and production determines how low the red blood cell count becomes. If the red blood cell count becomes abnormally low, it is called hemolytic anemia.
Conditions that can cause hemolysis include:
- Immune reactions
- Infections
- Medicines
- Toxins and poisons
- Red blood cell metabolism or defects in the shape of blood cells
Hemolysis is the breakdown of red blood cells.
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
Dr. Robert Brodsky is a professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. His area of clinical expertise is classical hematology and haploidentical bone marrow transplant for sickle cell disease and aplastic anemia. Dr. Brodsky serves as the director of the Division of Hematology and the T32 Training Program. He is the Johns Hopkins Family Professor of Medicine and Oncology. He received his M.D. from Hahnemann University. He completed his residency at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. He performed a fellowship in hematology at the National Institutes of Health and a fellowship in oncology at Johns Hopkins. He joined the Johns Hopkins faculty in 1997. From 2017 to 2022 he served as Associate Editor to The Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI) and Secretary to American Society of Hematology (ASH). He serves as President of The American Society of Hematology (ASH) in 2023. Dr. Brodsky is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Hemolysis. His top areas of expertise are Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH), Paroxysmal Cold Hemoglobinuria, Anemia, Bone Marrow Transplant, and Splenectomy.
Cleveland Clinic
Jaroslaw Maciejewski is a Hematologist in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Maciejewski is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Hemolysis. His top areas of expertise are Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH), Aplastic Anemia, Paroxysmal Cold Hemoglobinuria, Bone Marrow Transplant, and Splenectomy.
Jeffrey Szer practices in Parkville, Australia. Szer is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Hemolysis. Their top areas of expertise are Paroxysmal Cold Hemoglobinuria, Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH), Hemolysis, Hemolytic Anemia, and Bone Marrow Transplant.
Summary: The researchers are testing a medication named ravulizumab for the treatment of severe preeclampsia and Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes, Low Platelets (HELLP) syndrome.
Summary: The primary objective of this study is to evaluate efficacy of danicopan as add-on treatment to ravulizumab or eculizumab as assessed by hemoglobin (Hgb) change from Baseline at Week 12 in pediatric participants with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) and clinically significant extravascular hemolysis (CS-EVH).
Published Date: March 31, 2024
Published By: Todd Gersten, MD, Hematology/Oncology, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, Wellington, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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Michel M. Autoimmune and intravascular hemolytic anemias. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 146.


