Myelodysplastic Syndromes Are A Group Of Disorders Caused...

â€Å"Myelodysplastic syndromes are a group of disorders caused by poorly formed or dysfunctional blood cells.† (Mayo Clinic 2015) Myelodysplastic syndromes, also known as bone marrow failure syndromes, occur when the bone marrow is not doing its job of providing enough functional, healthy blood cells. These syndromes generally occur with geriatric patients, and are responsible for a host of issues such as abnormal bleeding, infection, bruising, and anemia. People with these syndromes generally present with some form of cytopenia, whether it be anemia, neutropenia, or thrombocytopenia. MDS causes the cells produced to usually have shorter life spans, resulting in less mature blood cells making it out into the circulatory system. These cells tend to have abnormal shapes and appearances in addition to their failure to function correctly. MDS is a progressive disease, and generally is not considered terminal, although some patients will progress into acute myeloid leukemia as a r esult of the disease. Unlike some other syndromes, MDS is not inherited, and there are many risk factors that will be discussed later that can exacerbate this illness. Myelodysplastic syndromes occur when blood cells are misshapen and dysfunctional. These syndromes generally do not cause symptoms in the beginning, but as they progress the signs and symptoms make themselves known. Some symptoms include shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, pallor, petechiae, abnormal bleeding and bruising, and