Sickle Cell Disease - Hydroxyurea: What You Need to Know

If you have sickle cell disease, your body makes sickle-shaped, or crescent-shaped, red blood cells. For patients who have sickle cell disease, an oral medicine called hydroxyurea may be able to help. Patients who take hydroxyurea must have regular medical care. A doctor who knows about hydroxyurea can tell you about the risks and benefits of taking this medicine. Taken daily by mouth, hydroxyurea can help: ·         Reduce the likelihood of having a pain event ·         Reduce the need for blood transfusions ·         Improve anemia and quality of life ·         Reduce emergency visits and hospitalizations ·         Prevent symptoms like acute chest syndrome, a condition similar to pneumonia Some patients may also benefit from taking a new medicine called L-glutamine oral powder. Talk to your doctor to determine if this medicine is right for you.   Abstract source