What is the Difference Between Anemia and Hemophilia

The main difference between anemia and hemophilia is that anemia is a blood disorder where the blood has a reduced ability to carry oxygen due to a reduction in red blood cells or hemoglobin, whereas hemophilia is mostly an inherited genetic disorder that negatively impacts the body’s ability to make blood clots.

Anemia and hemophilia are two types of blood disorders that cause impaired function of blood. Significantly, anemia is not an inherited disorder while hemophilia is an inherited blood disorder.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is Anemia
   • Definition, Characteristics, Importance
2. What is Hemophilia
   • Definition, Characteristics, Importance
3. Similarities Between Anemia and Hemophilia
   • Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Anemia and Hemophilia
   • Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Anemia, Hemophilia

What is Anemia

Anemia is a blood disorder in which the blood has a reduced ability to carry oxygen. This can be due to the reduced number of red blood cells or hemoglobin. The major symptoms of anemia include tiredness, weakness, shortness of breath, headaches, and a reduced ability to exercise. Confusion, dizziness, loss of consciousness, and increased thirst are the symptoms of acute anemia. The primary causes of anemia include blood loss, reduced red blood cell production, and increase in red blood cell breakdown.

Figure 1: Iron Deficiency Anemia

Furthermore, the lower production of red blood cells is a major cause of anemia. Iron deficiency, thalassemia, vitamin B12 deficiency, and a number of bone marrow tumors are the reasons for the reduced production of red blood cells. On the other hand, the main reasons for red blood cell breakdown include genetic disorders such as sickle cell anemia, infections like malaria, and some autoimmune diseases. In addition, blood loss can occur in injuries, surgery, etc.

The size of the red blood cells and the amount of hemoglobin in cells are two parameters that can characterize anemia. Small red blood cells occur in microcytic anemia; large red blood cells occur in macrocytic anemia, and red blood cells with normal size cause normocytic anemia. In men, hemoglobin of less than 130 to 140 g/L cause anemia while in women, less than 120 to 130 g/L cause anemia.

What is Hemophilia

Hemophilia is mostly an inherited disorder, in which the blood shows an impaired ability to clot. However, blood clotting is an essential event to prevent bleeding in an injury. This also increases the risk of bleeding inside joints and the brain. There are two types of hemophilia: hemophilia A and hemophilia B. Hemophilia A occurs due to the low amount of clotting factor VIII and hemophilia B occurs due to the low amount of clotting factor IX.

Figure 2: Hemophilia  Inheritance

Moreover, hemophilia is an inherited disorder and it is inherited through the nonfunctional gene on the X chromosome. Usually, the prevention of the disease is by removing an egg, fertilizing it, and testing the embryo before transferring it to the uterus. The continuous replacement of clotting factors is also important in disease prevention.

Similarities Between Anemia and Hemophilia

• Anemia and hemophilia are two types of blood disorders with impaired function of blood.
• Both disorders can be treated with drugs.

Difference Between Anemia and Hemophilia

Definition

Anemia is a blood disorder in which the blood has a reduced ability to carry oxygen due to a lower-than-normal number of red blood cells, or a reduction in the amount of hemoglobin while hemophilia is a mostly inherited genetic disorder that affects the body’s ability to make blood clots.

Significance

Anemia shows a decreased number of red blood cells or hemoglobin while hemophilia causes the inability to form blood clots.

Inheritance

Anemia is not an inherited disorder while hemophilia is an inherited blood disorder.

Types

Three types of anemia are iron deficiency anemia, vitamin B12 deficiency anemia, and hemolytic anemia while the two types of hemophilia are hemophilia A and hemophilia B.

Conclusion

In brief, anemia and hemophilia are two types of blood disorders that cause impaired function of blood. Anemia is not an inherited blood disorder but hemophilia is an inherited blood disorder. In anemia, blood shows a reduced ability to carry oxygen. Usually, it occurs due to the reduction of red blood cells or hemoglobin. Hemophilia, on the other hand, causes inadequate blood clotting capacity due to impaired clotting of blood. Thus, this is the main difference between anemia and hemophilia.

References:

1. “What Is Anemia?” National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
2. “Hemophilia.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 7 Oct. 2021.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Iron deficiency anemia blood film” By Dr Graham Beards – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “X-linked recessive (2)” By SUM1 – Own Work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia