Hereditary haemochromatosis (or hemochromatosis) may be a genetic disease characterized by excessive intestinal absorption of dietary iron, leading to a pathological increase in total body iron stores. Humans, like most animals, haven't any means to excrete excess iron. Excess iron accumulates in tissues and organs, disrupting their normal function. The most susceptible organs include the liver, adrenal glands, heart, skin, gonads, joints, and therefore the pancreas; patients can present with cirrhosis, polyarthropathy, adrenal insufficiency, coronary failure, or diabetes. The hereditary sort of the disease is commonest among those of Northern European ancestry, especially those of Celtic descent. The disease is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern, which means both copies of the gene in each cell have mutations. Most often, the oldsters of a private with an autosomal recessive condition each carry one copy of the mutated gene but don't show signs and symptoms of the condition.
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