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Anemia and Iron Deficiency in Heart Failure

  • Pathophysiology of Myocardial Failure (IS Anand, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Anemia is a common comorbidity in heart failure (HF), and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. However, it remains unclear whether anemia is merely a marker of poor prognosis or whether anemia itself confers risk. The pathogenesis of anemia in HF is multifactorial. Iron deficiency also confers risk in HF, either with or without associated anemia, and treatment of iron deficiency improves the functional status of patients with HF. An ongoing large clinical trial studying the use of darbepoetin–alfa in patients with anemia and systolic HF is expected to provide information that should improve our understanding of anemia in HF.

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Disclosure

S. Gunawardena: none; M. Dunlap: has received institutional funding through a grant from Amgen, Inc.; has received a consulting fee/honorarium from Amgen, Inc.; has served as a consultant for Medtronic/Ardian, Inc.; and has received financial support through grants from Johnson and Johnson, Inc., and Biocontrol Medical.

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    Shanti Gunawardena & Mark E. Dunlap

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  1. Shanti Gunawardena
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Correspondence to Mark E. Dunlap.

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Gunawardena, S., Dunlap, M.E. Anemia and Iron Deficiency in Heart Failure. Curr Heart Fail Rep 9, 319–327 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11897-012-0112-x

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