spotlight on health ee Taking Action Against Anemia (NAPSA)—There’s invigorating news for many of the almost four million Americans who have been diagnosed with anemia—and the millions more who are at significant risk. Researchers are working on new ways to treat this debilitating disease, and doctors are realizing just how seriously anemia can impact the health and well-being of millions of Americans with seme of today’s most cormmondiseases. enlargement of the heart, a serious condition known as left ventricular hypertrophy that over time can lead to heartfailure. Treatment varies depending on the cause of anemia and its severity. Anemia can sometimes he managed through diet and nutritional supplements, prescription medications and, in serious cases, “Anemia is a serious condition that can be present in many common diseases like diabetes, chronic kidney disease, hypertension, cancer, rheurnatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS and inflammatory bowel disease. Anemia deserves raore attention, since if untreated it may lead to serious consequences including progressive heart disease, as well as impairments in qualityoflife,” said Allen R. Nissenson, M.D., PA.C.P, co- chair of the National Anemia Action Campaign and the director of the dialysis program at the Umniversity of California, Los Angeles. “Conversely, treating anemia can have a significant, positive impact on both patient health and sense of well-being.” Anemia is characterized by a Doctors have a number of ways to treat the fatigue, dizziness and other symptoms of anemia before the condition leads to more serious problems. low number of red blood celis in the body—these cells carry oxygen from the lungs to the body’s tissues and organs to support normal functions. As anemia progresses and hecomes severe, particularly in people with chronic iliness, the diminished level of red blood cells can cause the heart to work harder, pumping more blood in an effort to supply oxygen throughout the bedy. With this increased cardiac workload, anemia may lead to partial blood transfusion. New treatments are under development that will greatly simplify the managementof anemia. To help people who have anemia and the doctors treating them, leading clinical specialists from across the country have come together to form the National Anemia Action Campaign (NAAC). NAAC’s goal is to raise awareness of the incidence, manifestation and treatment of anemia among healthcare professionals and the public. The organization is supported by an unorestricted educational grant from Amgen Ine. You can learn more about ane- mia and howit’s treated from your dactor, on the Web at the U.S. Cen- ters for Disease Control and Pre- vention Web site, wuw.cde.gov, or visit the NAAC homepage at www.anenia.com.
