Porphyria

A set of different disfunctions caused by irregularity in a chemical reaction of a heme production is called porphyria. Heme is very important for the health. It's concentrated in the blood and is responsible for oxygen transfer. To produce heme human body need different enzymes. If some of then are abnormal the production of heme is broken and body synthesize not a heme, but some intermidiate composites, such as porphyrin. There are two main types of a porphyria - it can affect either the skin or nervous system. If porphyria influence on skin - there will be itching and blisters and swelling. This happens if areas of a sking are exposed to light. The acute porphyria hit the nervous system. Among its symptoms are hallucinations, constipation, chest pain, tingling, paralysis etc. Porphyria attacks can long for a long time: hours, days or even weeks. Among the main reasons of Porphyria are infections (ie hepatite), alcohol, stresses, drugs of a certain kind (oral contraceptives, sedative pills, tranquilisers), hormones. The main methods of porphyria diagnosis are stool/urine/bloods thest. But it's rather difficult to certainly diagnose porphyria due to the fact that its symptoms are typical for a wide range of different diseases. There are different methods of porphyria treatment. A most suitable is selected in according to the type of porphyria. Most commons are medicines (hematin) and giving heme. During attacks an opiates can be used to reduce the pain. Attacks are often accompanimented with severe pains, which leads to the hospitalization.