« All Events

Event Series Event Series: Hemochromatosis Screening and Awareness Month

Hemochromatosis Screening and Awareness Month

July 1

July is Hemochromatosis Screening and Awareness Month personalized cause

July is Hemochromatosis Screening and Awareness Month

Hemochromatosis Screening and Awareness Month is observed during July. Hemochromatosis is an inherited disorder of excessive body accumulation of iron. In addition, it is primarily common among the white population, affecting approximately 1 in 400 individuals of European ancestry. Hemochromatosis patients are believed to absorb excessive amounts of iron from the diet. Since the human body has limited ways of eliminating the absorbed iron, the iron accumulates. As a result, this accumulation occurs in the liver, bone marrow, pancreas, skin, and testicles. This accumulation of iron in these organs causes them to function poorly.

Hemochromatosis Screening and Awareness Month educates the general public that patients with early hemochromatosis have no symptoms, and are unaware of their condition. The disease may then be discovered when elevated iron blood levels are noted by routine blood testing. In males, symptoms may not appear until 40-50 years of age. Further, iron deposits cause darkening of the skin. Since females lose iron through menstrual blood loss, they develop organ damage from iron accumulation 15 to 20 years later than men on average. Hemochromatosis is represented by the color burgundy or red. Wear a red or burgundy enamel awareness ribbon pin, fabric ribbon, or red or burgundy silicone awareness wristband bracelet for this important awareness month.

Wear Burgundy or Red to Raise Awareness for Hemochromatosis Screening and Awareness Month

Hereditary hemochromatosis is one of the most common genetic disorders in the United States. People of Northern European descent have a higher chance of having an altered HFE gene. This means that about 1 in 225 people in this population have two copies of the gene and are at risk of developing hemochromatosis.

Detection and Treatment

Because hemochromatosis symptoms are nonspecific, patients who are considered at risk for this disease should be screened regularly. This way, if the disease is present, doctors can find and treat it in its early stages.

Testing and Screening for Hemochromatosis

  • Liver enzyme and function tests can determine whether or not there is inflammation in the liver and whether the function of the liver is normal.
  • If you have high iron levels in the blood, testing the DNA (in blood) for mutations in the HFE gene can confirm the diagnosis. These tests are also used to screen family members.
  • A liver biopsy offers a definitive diagnosis. Your doctor may recommend a biopsy if you have elevated iron levels in your blood, especially if your symptoms are consistent with hereditary hemochromatosis.
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the liver can be performed to estimate the amount of iron in the liver. Some types of MRIs can estimate the amount of liver fibrosis as well.

At risk? Become empowered with information.

The main treatment for this disease is phlebotomy. You undergo phlebotomy at routine intervals (weekly to monthly) until your iron level returns to normal. This could take anywhere from a few weeks to a few years, depending on the iron levels at the time of diagnosis. 

To help maintain normal iron levels, you should avoid iron supplements, restrict your vitamin C, red meat, raw shellfish, and alcohol intake, and be screened regularly.

Learn more about the risks, symptoms, and treatments from William Palmer, M.D. FACP, at the Mayo Clinic.

Personalized cause red enamel ribbon pins Addiction Bleeding Disorders Heart Disease Hemophilia HIV Hypertension MADD Mothers Against Drunk Driving Stroke Von Willebrand Disease Womens Heart HealthPersonalized cause red personalized enamel ribbon pins Addiction Bleeding Disorders Heart Disease Hemophilia HIV Hypertension MADD Mothers Against Drunk Driving Stroke Von Willebrand Disease Womens Heart HealthPersonalized cause red fabric ribbon pins Addiction Bleeding Disorders Heart Disease Hemophilia HIV Hypertension MADD Mothers Against Drunk Driving Stroke Von Willebrand Disease Womens Heart HealthPersonalized cause red personalized fabric ribbon pins Addiction Bleeding Disorders Heart Disease Hemophilia HIV Hypertension MADD Mothers Against Drunk Driving Stroke Von Willebrand Disease Womens Heart HealthPersonalized cause red KNOW MORE wristband Addiction Bleeding Disorders Heart Disease Hemophilia HIV Hypertension MADD Mothers Against Drunk Driving Stroke Von Willebrand Disease Womens Heart HealthPersonalized cause red personalized wristband Addiction Bleeding Disorders Heart Disease Hemophilia HIV Hypertension MADD Mothers Against Drunk Driving Stroke Von Willebrand Disease Womens Heart Health

Personalized cause burgundy enamel ribbon pins Antiphospholipid Syndrome Disabled Adults Sickle cell Anemia Factor V Leiden Thrombophilia Multiple Myeloma Plasma Cell Neoplasms Personalized cause burgundy personalized enamel ribbon pins Antiphospholipid Syndrome Disabled Adults Sickle cell Anemia Factor V Leiden Thrombophilia Multiple Myeloma Plasma Cell Neoplasms Personalized cause burgundy fabric ribbon pins Antiphospholipid Syndrome Disabled Adults Sickle cell Anemia Factor V Leiden Thrombophilia Multiple Myeloma Plasma Cell Neoplasms Personalized cause burgundy personalized fabric ribbon pins Antiphospholipid Syndrome Disabled Adults Sickle cell Anemia Factor V Leiden Thrombophilia Multiple Myeloma Plasma Cell Neoplasms Personalized cause burgundy KNOW MORE wristband Antiphospholipid Syndrome Disabled Adults Sickle cell Anemia Factor V Leiden Thrombophilia Multiple Myeloma Plasma Cell Neoplasms Personalized cause burgundy personalized wristband Antiphospholipid Syndrome Disabled Adults Sickle cell Anemia Factor V Leiden Thrombophilia Multiple Myeloma Plasma Cell Neoplasms

Details

Date:
July 1
Series:
Hemochromatosis Screening and Awareness Month
Event Category:

Related Events