Announcer:
Welcome to ReachMD. This episode is part of the Global Heart Failure Academy and is brought to you by Medtelligence.
Dr. Metra:
Hello, everybody. Welcome to the Clinic Minutes Program addressing updates to managing iron deficiency in patients with heart failure. The 2022 updates of the American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, Heart Failure Society of America Guidelines for heart failure have been just released, and they are the first since 2017. Since that time, there has been a considerable research in the care of patients with heart failure, including the impact and management of iron deficiency in these patients.
This ReachMD, and I am Dr. Marco Metra. And I have the pleasure to share this initiative with Dr. Adrian Hernandez. So, Adrian-
Dr. Hernandez:
Thanks for having me here.
Dr. Metra:
So, Dr. Hernandez, Adrian, let’s discuss some of the key highlights from the 2022 ACC/AHA guidelines for patients with heart failure and iron deficiency. What does our audience need to know about this?
Dr. Hernandez:
So, first of all, in our top 10 recommendations, there’s a recognition that patients need to be screened for iron deficiency or evaluated for comorbidities for heart failure. So that’s an important element here.
The second thing is that screening for iron deficiency is a class 1 recommendation. So, it’s really important to consider that for patients with heart failure because it’s something that could be potentially treatable.
And the third thing is that the recommendations for treatment is a 2A recommendation for those who have iron deficiency to improve quality of life. And so, again, thinking about patients with heart failure, it’s not just about making sure that they live longer, but also that patients with heart failure live better. And so, certainly, the evidence supports doing that, and that’s why there’s a 2A recommendation.
Dr. Metra:
Thank you, Adrian. And, for those just tuning in, you are listening to ReachMD, and I am Dr. Marco Metra. And here with me today is Dr. Adrian Hernandez. We are discussing key updates from the 2022 American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, and Heart Failure Society of America guidelines and what this may mean for your everyday clinical practice.
I like to point out that there is a lot of consistency between the ESC [European Society of Cardiology] guidelines issued the last year and the current US guidelines, and this is very important because we must think that we are delivering a message outside for non-heart failure specialists, and this message regarding treatment of iron deficiency is for sure completely consistent across the 2 different guidelines. So, measure, I look for iron deficiency and treat iron deficiency, at least with the aim of improving quality of life of our patients. And then based on the AFFIRMATIVE trial, also reduce the hospitalizations in patients with a recent decompensation episode. So very consistent between the 2 guidelines and the importance of quality of life are 2 key messages, I think.
I don't know if you have additional comment of this, Adrian?
Dr. Hernandez:
So, because of the increasing evidence and, fortunately, the good work of all the clinicians across different parts of the world and investigators and patients, we now have increasingly more evidence in terms of what to do with iron deficiency. And so that’s reflected in both guidelines and the consistency with that.
Dr. Metra:
So, which could be your take-home messages?
Dr. Hernandez:
So one is that we have to think about patients with heart failure as having other conditions that could be modified. Iron deficiency is one of those, and so it’s important to screen for that.
And the other thing is actually in patients with heart failure, quality of life is really important, and so that is an area of emphasis for treating iron deficiency.
Dr. Metra:
Yes, and with the respect of myself, I think we are consistent, and so very few things to add. What we are trying to point out is that every patient is different from the other, and comorbidities play a major role, both with the respect of quality of life and the respect of outcomes. So, I think these are the 2 key messages that come across the ocean and for the benefits of our patients.
Unfortunately, that’s all the time we have today. So, I want to thank our audience for listening and thank you, Dr. Adrian Hernandez, for joining me and for sharing all of your valuable insights. It was great speaking with you today.
Dr. Hernandez:
Thanks for having me.
Announcer:
You have been listening to CME on ReachMD. This activity is provided by Medtelligence.
To download this activity, go to ReachMD.com/HeartFailure. Thank you for listening.
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