How to Prevent Anemia of Chronic Disease

Chronic illnesses can cause forms of anemia, either directly as a symptom of the condition or due to a vitamin deficiency. You can prevent anemia of chronic disease, although you need to speak with your primary care provider to identify all the causes of the blood disorder.

Instructions

Prevent Anemia of Chronic Disease

• 1

  See your doctor for iron deficiency blood tests. You can develop either an iron deficiency or a slower iron metabolism from a chronic disease. The doctor will then prescribe either an iron supplement or a medicine to help your body process iron.

• 2

  Explore other possibilities for treating your chronic disease if you haven't had any relief from regular medications. Some drugs can cause anemia by interfering with the body's absorption of vitamin B12. Diabetes drugs, proton pump inhibitors and H2 receptor antagonists are some of the common treatments for chronic disease that can cause anemia.

• 3

  Have a doctor test your blood if you have a chronic disease like osteomyelitis, rheumatic fever or Crohn's disease. These conditions can lead to moderate levels of anemia, but you can take steps to prevent it if blood work detects abnormal red blood cells early. Often people with these chronic illnesses don't notice the early warning signs of anemia because they are overshadowed by other symptoms.

• 4

  Consider a blood transfusion if your chronic disease would benefit from it. While this procedure can be very expensive, it has the added benefit of filling your body with healthy blood cells. In some cases, doctors may want to add more blood than they remove to help prevent anemia of chronic disease.

• 5

  Check your erythropoietin (EPO) levels if you are a kidney disease patient. This hormone is produced by healthy kidneys and helps bone marrow function properly. Injections of a genetically engineered EPO substitute can be put into your body to help clear up anemia in about 2 weeks.

• 6

  Manage flareups of your chronic disease. The symptoms of your illness will often return several days before you develop anemia. Prompt and proper care of your condition will control the risk of anemia.