Why does chronic kidney disease cause anemia?

If treatments for kidney-related anemia do not help, the health care provider will look for other causes of anemia, including. read more

If blood tests indicate kidney disease as the most likely cause of anemia, treatment can include injections of a genetically engineered form of EPO. A health care provider, often a nurse, injects the patient with EPO subcutaneously, or under the skin, as needed. read more

If you have kidney disease, you should have a blood test to measure your hemoglobin level at least once a year to check for anemia. Hemoglobin is the part of red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout your body. read more

EPO tells your body to make red blood cells. when you have kidney disease, your kidneys cannot make enough EPO. low EPO levels cause your red blood cell count to drop and anemia to develop. most people with kidney disease will develop anemia. anemia can happen early in the course of kidney disease and grow worse as kidneys fail and can no longer make EPO. read more