Description

Certain clinical findings may be either indications of an impending complication or precipitating factors for a complication in a patient with a sickling hemoglobinopathy. A patient with one or more of these risk factors may benefit from a more extensive evaluation and early intervention.


 

Factors that may precipitate sickling:

(1) dehydration

(2) hypoxia

(3) acidosis

(4) stress

(5) infection

(6) exposure to extremes of environmental temperature (either very hot or very cold)

 

Indicators of a complication

(7) fever

(8) chest pain

(9) abdominal pain

(10) shortness of breath

(11) severe headache

(12) focal weakness

(13) change in mental status

 


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