This can affect hormones needed to maintain healthy blood cells and oxygen levels throughout the body, resulting in anemia.Īnemia may arise during periods of acute illness related to COPD. Many people who have COPD also have kidney problems. Theophylline is commonly prescribed as a breathing aid, and ACE inhibitors are used to relieve the cardiac problems many sufferers of COPD have. Some medications commonly used to treat COPD are known to cause anemia, such as theophylline and ACE inhibitors. This is not directly related to your COPD, but is a reason why you may become anemic. Since most people who have COPD are adults, and the severity of the disease increases with age, you may be more likely to develop anemia as the years pass. If you have COPD, difficulty breathing and fatigue may prevent you from eating an adequate diet, so you may not consume the iron-rich foods your body needs. This can often result in anemia as well.Īs you grow older, you are more likely to become anemic, regardless of whether or not you have COPD. It remains in tissues, rather than circulating and carrying oxygen. The iron needed by your body may not be as available when COPD is present. The body cannot keep up with the ongoing demand for rapidly produced red blood cells, so anemia ensues. The bone marrow speeds up the production of red blood cells when a lack is sensed by the body, but this ability is impaired among individuals who have COPD. Among people with COPD, chronic inflammation makes the cells die faster than in healthy individuals. Normally, red blood cells live for about four months. Chronic inflammation and an altered immune response appear to be involved. Researchers believe COPD precipitates the development of anemia by several means. Why Do Patients With COPD Develop Anemia? Common tests for anemia include a complete blood cell count (CBC) hemoglobin (Hgb) and hematocrit (Hct). It is likely that your doctor tests for anemia at least once each year. Your doctor can determine if you are anemic by performing blood tests. If you have symptoms of anemia, notify your health care provider. Your ability to tolerate activities of daily life, such as walking and exercising, may diminish if you are anemic. Confusion or impaired ability to remember and think clearlyĪnemia can make breathing harder and tires your muscles.
Your nails may be brittle and spoon-shaped.Why Do I Need to Know About Anemia and COPD?Īnemia is especially serious if you have COPD because you may not be able to inhale adequate amounts of oxygen and exhale excess carbon dioxide well because of your illness.
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