Anemia In Cardiovascular Diseases

Abstract

Anemia is common in patients with heart diseases and can be presented in one third of patients with congestive heart failure and in 10% – 20% of patients with coronary heart disease. The cause of anemia in patients with heart disease is multifactorial and may include chronic inflammation, absolute and functional iron deficiency, impaired production and activity of erythropoietin, hemodilution, renal dysfunction. Hemodynamic and non-hemodynamic changes in anemia in the presence of chronic heart disease contribute to a high incidence of cardiovascular complications. Anemia is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) outcomes and probably acts as a mediator and a marker of a poor prognosis. Anemia treatment in patients with heart diseases includes erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, red blood cell transfusion, and iron replacement. Iron deficiency became a new therapeutic target and intravenous ferric carboxymaltose should be considered in symptomatic patients with systolic heart failure and iron deficiency in order to alleviate heart failure symptoms, and improve exercise capacity and life quality.