Hereditary spherocytosis is a congenital hemolytic anemia with a wide clinical spectrum (from symptom-free carriers to severe hemolysis) characterized by anemia, variable jaundice, splenomegaly and cholelithiasis.

The presence of an abnormality of cardiac function that is responsible for the failure of the heart to pump blood at a rate that is commensurate with the needs of the tissues or a state in which abnormally elevated filling pressures are required for the heart to do so. Heart failure is frequently related to a defect in myocardial contraction.