Chronic iron deficiency increases the risk of heart attack

Risk of acute coronary syndrome in iron deficiency increased by 70 percent
Iron deficiency can lead to different sequelae, although there is apparently a connection with the occurrence of heart attacks and cardiac deaths. For example, in patients with acute coronary syndrome (heart attack or unstable angina pectoris) who suffer from iron deficiency, the risk of cardiac death or heart attack is significantly increased, reports the German Society of Cardiology (DGK) and invokes a contribution from Hamburg cardiologists at the European Cardiology Congress (ESC) in Barcelona.

After a heart attack or unstable angina, patients with concomitant iron deficiency show "a 70 percent increased risk of having cardiovascular death or non-fatal heart attack within four years compared to patients without iron deficiency" , reports the DGK. Iron deficiency therefore has a massive impact on the survival of patients with acute coronary syndrome.

Iron deficiency increases the risk of myocardial infarction and cardiac death in patients with acute coronary heart disease. (Image: hriana / fotolia.com)

Relevance of iron deficiency in acute coronary syndrome
In their study, the researchers had Dr. med. Sarina Schäfer from the University Heart Center Hamburg evaluated the data of 895 patients with acute coronary syndrome. Acute coronary syndrome refers to all acute stages of coronary heart disease (including heart attacks). The aim of the present study was to investigate the relevance of iron deficiency in acute coronary syndrome. Subjects underwent cardiac catheterization at each event and iron status (ferritin and transferrin saturation) was determined on blood sampling. This was followed by an average observation period of four years, the primary endpoints of which were cardiovascular death and the occurrence of non-fatal heart attacks.

Correction of iron deficiency could bring significant improvements
The evaluation of the data showed that an existing iron deficiency is "a strong and independent negative prognosis factor for patients with an acute coronary syndrome", Dr. med. Sarina shepherd. The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) already recommends "the routine collection of iron status in their current guidelines on chronic heart failure and intravenous iron carboxymaltose therapy in the presence of iron deficiency," reports the DGK. Because iron deficiency is found in up to 50 percent of patients with heart failure. In addition, "recent studies show that effective correction of iron deficiency in these patients leads to a significant improvement in quality of life and symptoms," Dr. Shepherd quoted by the DGK. (Fp)