The prognosis for untreated aplastic anemia is poor, and without treatment, life expectancy is typically only a few months. Aplastic anemia is a rare and serious condition in which the body stops producing enough new blood cells. Without healthy blood cells, the body is unable to fight off infections or carry enough oxygen to the body’s organs. Without treatment, the complications of aplastic anemia can be fatal.
Without treatment, aplastic anemia can cause a range of serious complications, including infections, excessive bleeding, anemia, and organ failure. Severe anemia can cause fatigue, shortness of breath, and an increased risk of infection. Without enough healthy blood cells to fight off infection, people with aplastic anemia may develop serious or even life-threatening infections. Excessive bleeding can occur due to a lack of platelets, which normally help the blood to clot. If the condition is severe, organ failure can occur as a result of a lack of oxygen being carried to the organs.
The outlook for untreated aplastic anemia is poor, and without treatment, the life expectancy is typically only a few months. However, with prompt diagnosis and treatment, the prognosis can be improved. Treatment typically involves medications that help stimulate the body’s production of new blood cells, or a bone marrow transplant to replace the damaged bone marrow with healthy bone marrow from a donor. With treatment, some people with aplastic anemia are able to live for many years.