What Is Acute Chest Syndrome?
Reviewed: Dr. Gromatzky
3. Causes
Among the most common causes of acute chest syndrome is pneumonia. Another potential cause is a pulmonary embolism which is when a blood clot travels to the pulmonary artery and blocks it. Another potential cause is a pulmonary infarction. This is a condition where some of the lung tissue has died due to a lack of oxygen.
Acute chest syndrome does not necessarily have to be caused by sickle cell disease. The causes mentioned can occur independently of sickle cell disease, and other causes include asthma, which is the most common cause. People of African heritage are more likely to have problems, and those with sickle cell disease and asthma are in a particularly high risk bracket.
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