HOW IS ANEMIA TREATED?

HOW IS ANEMIA TREATED?

Treating anemia depends on its cause.

• First, treat any chronic bleeding. This could be internal bleeding, hemorrhoids, or even frequent nosebleeds.
• Next, correct any shortages of iron, vitamin B12 or folate.
• Stop using, or reduce the doses of medications that cause anemia.

These approaches might not work. It may not be possible to stop using all medications that cause anemia. Two additional treatments are injections of EPO, and blood transfusions.

EPO (erythropoietin) stimulates the production of red blood cells. In 1985, scientists learned how to make synthetic EPO. It is injected under the skin, usually once a week. The most common brand of EPO is Procrit®.

A large study of people with HIV found that EPO injections decreased the risk of death. Transfusions seemed to increase it. Because of the risks of transfusions, they are rarely used to treat anemia.

Blood transfusion used to be the only treatment for severe anemia. However, transfusions can cause infection and suppress the immune system. They appear to cause faster progression of HIV disease and to increase the risk of death for HIV patients.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Anemia increases fatigue and makes people feel bad. It increases the risk of disease progression and death. It can be caused by HIV infection or other diseases. Many drugs used to treat HIV and related infections also cause anemia.

Anemia has always been a problem for people with HIV and AIDS. The rate of serious anemia has dropped considerably since people started using ART. However, almost half of people with HIV still have mild or moderate anemia.

Treating anemia improves the health and survival of people with HIV. Correcting bleeding or shortages of iron, or vitamins are the first steps. If possible, medications that cause anemia should be stopped. If necessary, the patient should be treated with erythropoietin, or, in rare cases, with a blood transfusion.

source: The AIDS Infonet