Anemia occurs when a person has a low red blood cell count. Anemia causes fatigue or tiredness, lack of energy for exercise, difficulty in concentrating and strain on the heart.
Most people with chronic kidney disease (CKD), who are on dialysis have anemia, since the kidneys make and secrete the hormone erythropoietin. This hormone is responsible for keeping a normal red blood cell count. Now with proper management patients with chronic kidney disease on dialysis have normal red blood cell counts. The erythropoietin hormone given to patients goes under the names of: Micera®,Recormon®, ARANESP® or epoietin alpha.