Definition

1. Noun:
   • A hereditary disorder causing excessive iron absorption: Hemochromatosis is a medical condition, typically inherited, where the body absorbs and stores too much iron from food. This excess iron accumulates in various organs and tissues over time.
   • Iron overload disease: It is the most common form of iron overload disease, where the excess iron can damage organs and lead to serious health problems.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The doctor diagnosed him with hereditary hemochromatosis after genetic testing.
  • Early detection of hemochromatosis is crucial to prevent organ damage.
  • Treatment for hemochromatosis often involves regular phlebotomy to reduce iron levels.

Advanced Usage

• "to have hemochromatosis": to be diagnosed with or suffer from the condition.
  • Because he has hemochromatosis, he must avoid iron supplements and vitamin C with meals.
• "hemochromatosis screening": the process of testing for the condition, especially in individuals with a family history.
  • The clinic offers hemochromatosis screening for at-risk populations.

Variants and Related Words

• Hereditary hemochromatosis (HHC) (n): The most common, inherited form of the disorder.
  • Type 1 hemochromatosis is also known as hereditary hemochromatosis.
• Iron overload (n): A broader term for conditions involving excess iron, which includes hemochromatosis.
  • Secondary iron overload can result from frequent blood transfusions, unlike hereditary hemochromatosis.

Synonyms

• Bronze diabetes (n): An older, descriptive term for hemochromatosis, referring to the skin discoloration (bronzing) and pancreatic damage (diabetes) it can cause.
• Iron-storage disease (n): A general term describing disorders where iron accumulates in the body's tissues.

Related Medical Terms (Not Phrasal Verbs)

• Phlebotomy (n): The primary treatment for hemochromatosis, involving the removal of blood to lower iron stores.
  • The patient undergoes therapeutic phlebotomy every two weeks to manage his hemochromatosis.
• Transferrin saturation (n): A key blood test used in the diagnosis and monitoring of hemochromatosis.
  • An elevated transferrin saturation level is a strong indicator of hemochromatosis.

Notes on Meaning

The provided reference context lists specific symptoms and abnormalities (bronzed skin, enlarged liver, diabetes mellitus, pancreas and joint abnormalities). These are potential complications of advanced, untreated hemochromatosis, not the definition itself. The core definition is the pathological accumulation of iron in tissues, which, over time, can lead to those conditions.

Noun

1. pathology in which iron accumulates in the tissues; characterized by bronzed skin and enlarged liver and diabetes mellitus and abnormalities of the pancreas and the joints