Anemia has been recently recognized as a frequent
complication of Diabetic Nephropathy, appearing earlier than in non-diabetic
kidney disease. In this text, we will discuss about the cause of anemia in
DN.
Definition
Anemia occurs when there is a short supply of red blood cells. Hemoglobin is
the part of RBCs that carries oxygen throughout the body, giving people the
energy they need for their daily activities.
The normal range of hemoglobin is 12.0 for women and 13.5 for men. Anemia may
happen if there is lower level of hemoglobin measured by the doctor.
Symptoms
For a person with DN who develops anemia, he may experience symptoms, such as
feeling of tiredness, look pale, poor appetite, difficulty sleep, dizziness,
headaches, rapid heartbeat, short of breath, feel depressed, etc.
What causes anemia in DN?
1. Declining kidney function
The kidneys can make an important hormone known as erythropoietin, or EPO.
EPO tells the bone marrow to make red blood cells. When people get affected by
Diabetes and kidney disease, their kidneys are unable to make enough EPO. This
results in the drop of red blood cell count, so anemia develops.
Most patients with renal disease will develop anemia, and it can happen early
in the course of Diabetic Renal Disease and grow worse as the damaged kidneys
lost their ability to work well and make EPO.
2. A poor diet
Patients may become anemic if they do not eat healthy foods with adequate
vitamin B12, folic acid and iron. The body need these important vitamins and
minerals to help make RBCs.
Before starting anemia treatment, we must find the exact cause of anemia in
DN. Then, corresponding option can be adopted to eliminate this
complication.