Treatment with iron of patients with heart failure with and without anemia

• Published in: Heart failure clinics Vol. 6; no. 3; p. 305
• Main Authors: Jelani, Qurat-ul-ain, Attanasio, Philipp, Katz, Stuart D, Anker, Stefan D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.07.2010
• Subjects: Anemia, Iron-Deficiency - drug therapy; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency - etiology; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency - physiopathology; Exercise Tolerance; Heart Failure - complications; Heart Failure - drug therapy; Heart Failure - prevention & control; Humans; Infusions, Intravenous; Iron - administration & dosage; Iron - metabolism; Iron - therapeutic use; Quality of Life
• DOI: 10.1016/j.hfc.2010.02.002
• ISSN: 1551-7136

Iron deficiency is a common cause of anemia in otherwise healthy individuals and plays an important role in the development of anemia within the heart failure patient population. Iron-deficient heart failure patients experience worse symptoms and are less exercise tolerant than those without iron deficiency. These symptoms may occur even before clinical anemia is evident. This article reviews studies of the benefits of the use of intravenous iron to treat iron deficiency in anemic and nonanemic heart failure patients and an overview of the physiology and pathophysiology of iron metabolism in chronic heart failure.