A new study by a cardiologist at Charles Sturt University (CSU) has found a significant rise in the risk of death for chronic heart failure patients who also suffer from the blood disease anemia.

 

“What we have found, from collective analysis of nearly 20 published studies, is that when anemia happens, it will worsen a patient’s prognosis, making them more likely to be hospitalised or die of progressive heart failure,” said Professor of Clinical Pharmacology at CSU, Lexin Wang.

 

Heart failure is a common and serious chronic illness. With contemporary management, the mortality rate from chronic heart failure is still very high, reaching 40 per cent in the very sick patients.”

 

The significance of this latest study is that health professionals may need to improve current practices to better treat anemia in patients with chronic heart failure.

 

“Given the clear association between anemia and the mortality rate or hospitalisation rate, optimal treatment of anemia, on top of other heart failure-specific therapies, may reduce the rate of mortality and further improve a patient’s prognosis,” said Professor Wang.  

 

The study is published in the US-based journal, Congestive Heart Failure.

 

“This publication by Dr Wang and collaborators give some perspective to nearly a decade of interest on the relationship and role of anemia in patients with chronic heart failure,” said journal Co-Editors in Chief, Dr John Strobeck and Dr Marc Silver.

 

Congestive Heart Failure is one of the premiere clinical journals for publication of new and cutting edge heart failure information.

 

Professor Wang is Head of the Cardiovascular Group at CSU. The group is currently working on a number of research projects, from predicting sudden death to mental health issues in patients with chronic heart failure.