Following updates to recommendations around iron deficiency in the 2021 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) heart failure guidelines, the HFPN has updated its Spotlight on iron deficiency report, originally published in 2020.
The updated European guidelines recommend that all people with heart failure be screened for iron deficiency, and provided new treatment recommendations. Yet despite clear guidance that could improve outcomes for people living with heart failure, challenges to implementation remain. The report discusses common barriers and how these may be overcome.
Iron deficiency can increase the risk of hospitalisation and mortality among people living with heart failure and can drastically impact quality of life by exacerbating symptoms such as fatigue and breathlessness. However, partly due to lack of awareness, iron deficiency often goes undiagnosed and untreated.
The report makes five key recommendations:
