Haematology is the branch of medicine that deals with the study of blood and the circulatory system.
What does a haematologist do?
A haematologist analyzes the size, structure and operations of the elements of the blood and lymph nodes including red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and coagulation proteins and the organs that produce them which are the bone marrow, lymph nodes, and spleen. The haematologistХs activity is based on the results of laboratory tests, through which the specialist prescribe a treatment and monitors its effectiveness.
What diseases are treated by a haematologist?
Among the diseases a haematologist can treat are anemias, coagulopathy such as thrombocytopenia, hemophilia and thrombophilia, dysfunctions of the bone marrow and immune system, gammopathies such as multiple myelomas, and blood cancer such as lymphoma and leukemia.
What are the procedures used by a haematologist?
A haematologist prescribe blood tests and after analyzing the results, decides on the type of treatment to be carried out sometimes in consultation with other specialists of different fields. The doctor can prescribe drug therapies such as immunosuppressive drugs, biological drugs, growth factors, or chemotherapy. Other times the specialist may consider necessary the removal of a particular component of the blood, along with taking care of the bone marrow and stem cells.
When should a patient visit a haematologist?
A general practitioner will send the patient to a haematologist in the presence of symptoms that are suggestive of a blood disease, such as blood tests that reveal an alteration in the levels of hemoglobin, white blood cells and red blood cells, or bleeding for no apparent reason.
