Hydroxyurea for People With Sickle Cell Disease

What Is Hydroxyurea?

Hydroxyurea is a medicine that can help people who have sickle cell disease. It keeps blood cells round and flexible, so they flow better and deliver oxygen to the body more easily. This means less pain and fewer trips to the hospital.

What Happens in Sickle Cell Disease?

Healthy red blood cells are soft, flexible, and round. Sickle cell disease makes red blood cells become sticky, hard, and C-shaped. The sickle cells get stuck and block the blood flowing inside small blood vessels. This can be painful and lead to other problems that need to be treated in a hospital.

Sickle cells also break down more quickly than healthy red blood cells. Not having enough red blood cells can lead to anemia. People with anemia feel tired and have less energy.