Treat Anemia of Chronic Disease
Also known as inflammatory anemia, anemia of chronic disease is characterized by a low hemoglobin and red blood cell count that is caused by a chronic medical condition such as an infection or malignancy. While it may be difficult to differentiate anemia of chronic disease from other types of anemia, since there are currently no reliable tests available, by working with an experienced health care team you should be able to effectively treat this potentially serious medical condition.
Instructions
Treat Anemia of Chronic Disease
1. Determine if you are suffering from anemia of chronic disease by seeing your doctor or health care team for a thorough examination. It may be difficult to differentiate between anemia of chronic disease and iron deficiency anemia, complicated by the possibility that both conditions may be present, creating a more serious anemic condition. Since there are few reliable tests to determine the difference, bone marrow may need to be extracted to properly confirm a diagnosis.
2. Try to treat the chronic disease that is causing the anemia, which is the ideal solution. One of the differences between anemia of chronic disease and other anemias is the lack of response to iron supplements in getting the red blood cell and hemoglobin counts to normal levels.
3. Consider more advanced forms of treatment, such as blood transfusions or recombinant erythropoietin (a hormone that has been shown to successfully treat more severe cases of anemia), in order to treat anemia of chronic disease. Note that many doctors may be reluctant to administer such treatment due to its high cost and the possibility of serious side effects such as cardiovascular disease and infection.
4. Follow all instructions for the treatment of your primary medical condition in order to treat anemia of chronic disease. That includes taking all prescription medication on a timely basis and attending all follow-up appointments for blood work and medical examinations.
5. Monitor your blood tests to determine if there are any improvements in terms of hemoglobin concentrations, red blood cell counts and red blood cell size and distribution. In addition, you will be able to see and feel improvements in your condition, such as an increase in energy and stamina, a more healthy tone to your skin, less frequent episodes of dizziness or a shortness of breath and fingernails that are less brittle.
Tags: chronic disease, anemia chronic disease, blood cell, medical condition, anemia chronic
