Warning Signs Of Acute Chest Syndrome

Severe Chest Pain

Patients affected by acute chest syndrome often report severe chest pain. The irregular shape of red blood cells in individuals with sickle cell anemia may cause problems with how the blood flows through their vessels. The round shape of healthy red blood cells allows for the smooth and consistent movement of blood throughout blood vessels. However, sickle cells will often get stuck in vessels, stick to each other, stick to vessel walls, and damage the lining of blood vessels. Sickle cells can obstruct blood flow in any region of the body, resulting in oxygen deprivation in the affected tissues. The oxygen-deprived cells begin to die off quickly, and as a result, the tissues that consist of dying cells may die as well. When tissues die anywhere in the body due to a lack of oxygen supply, it causes a significant amount of pain. In acute chest syndrome patients, the sickle cells clump together and produce one or more blood flow obstructions in the lungs. When lung tissues begin to die, the patient will feel severe chest pain as a result.

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