**2.3 Hemolytic anemia**

Hemolytic anemia is the destruction of red blood cells (RBCs) before their normal 120-day life span. The process of destruction of red blood cells is called hemolysis. There are three types of hemolysis:

i.Intravascular hemolysis

When the RBCs are destroyed in the blood vessel itself, it is called intravascular hemolysis. Intravascular hemolysis is very dramatic because free hemoglobin is released into the plasma leading to hemoglobinuria. In the case of intravascular hemolysis, certain enzymes such as glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) or immune-mediated enzymes can be defective.
