Overview
A New Era: Targeting Iron Deficiency to Improve Heart Failure Outcomes
Expert Commentary
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Dive into the current and emerging diagnostic approaches to support iron deficiency (ID) as a treatment target for heart failure (HF) with a panel of experts. This activity features case discussions that demonstrate best practices in the clinical assessment and diagnosis of ID, as well as its management in patients with HF to improve awareness around “medical misses” for optimal patient outcomes. This learning opportunity will also focus on reviewing the clinical impact of intravenous iron therapy in both chronic and acute HF settings.
This activity is intended for physicians with a target audience of cardiology specialists and other healthcare providers.
Heart failure (HF) continues to be a global epidemic that affects about 6 million adults in the US. Iron deficiency (ID), irrespective of the presence of anemia, is a common comorbidity in patients with HF that can lead to worsening of HF symptoms and decreased quality of life. However, overall awareness of ID in HF is low and its diagnosis in patients with HF remains challenging due to varied diagnostic criteria used to define ID across HF trials and ongoing controversy around the current definition. Furthermore, ID in the HF setting is undertreated. Following the positive results from several key clinical trials investigating intravenous iron treatment in HF patients, there is an interest in ID as an emerging therapeutic target. The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) recently updated its guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic HF to include new recommendations for managing non-cardiovascular comorbidities of HF, including ID, recognizing the importance of monitoring and management of ID in patients with HF.
Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:
• Describe the complex pathophysiology of iron deficiency in heart failure
• List current and emerging diagnostic approaches to support early diagnosis of ID in patients with HF
• Identify individualized treatment regimens to manage ID in HF patients through administration of intravenous iron based on the current evidence and guideline recommendations
• Discuss the full clinical impact of IV iron in patients with both chronic and acute HF beyond the effects on hospitalization and mortality
• Describe the complex pathophysiology of iron deficiency in heart failure
• List current and emerging diagnostic approaches to support early diagnosis of ID in patients with HF
• Identify individualized treatment regimens to manage ID in HF patients through administration of intravenous iron based on the current evidence and guideline recommendations
• Discuss the full clinical impact of IV iron in patients with both chronic and acute HF beyond the effects on hospitalization and mortality

Supported by an educational grant from American Regent, Inc.
Javed Butler, MD, MPH, MBA
SVP Baylor Scott & White Health
Dallas, TX
Professor of Medicine
University of Mississippi
Jackson, MS
SVP Baylor Scott & White Health
Dallas, TX
Professor of Medicine
University of Mississippi
Jackson, MS
Robert J. Mentz, MD
Chief
Heart Failure Section
Duke University Medical Center and the Duke Cardiology Research Institute
Durham, NC
Ileana Piña, MD, MPH, FAHA, FACC, FHFSA
Professor of Medicine
Thomas Jefferson University
Philadelphia, PA
The Academy for Continued Healthcare Learning (ACHL) requires that the faculty participating in an accredited continuing education activity disclose all affiliations or other financial relationships (1) with the manufacturers of any commercial product(s) and/or provider(s) of commercial services discussed in an educational presentation and (2) with any commercial supporters of the activity. All conflicts of interest have been mitigated prior to this activity.
The following financial relationships have been provided:
Javed Butler, MD, MPH, MBA (Faculty)
Consulting Agreements: Abbott, Adrenomed, Amgen, Array, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, CVRx, G3 Pharmaceutical, Impulse Dynamics, Innolife, Janssen, LivaNova, Luitpold, Medtronic, Merck, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Roche, and Vifor
Robert J. Mentz, MD (Faculty)
Consulting Agreements: Bayer, BI Lilly, Vifor
Sources of Funding for Research: American Regent, Novartis
Ileana Piña, MD, MPH, FAHA, FACC, FHFSA (Faculty)
Advisory Board: Vifor
Discussion of Off-Label, Investigational, or Experimental Drug/Device Use: Ferric carboxymaltose injection
ACHL staff members and others involved with the planning, development, and review of the content for this activity have no relevant affiliations or financial relationships to disclose.
The content for this activity was developed independently of the commercial supporter. All materials are included with permission. The opinions expressed are those of the faculty and are not to be construed as those of the publisher or grantor.
This educational activity was planned and produced in accordance with the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education. Recommendations involving clinical medicine in a continuing medical education (CME/CE) activity must be based on evidence that is accepted within the profession of medicine as adequate justification for their indications and contraindications in the care of patients. All scientific research referred to, reported, or used in CME/CE in support or justification of a patient care recommendation must conform to the generally accepted standards of experimental design, data collection, and analysis.
This CME/CE activity might describe the off-label, investigational, or experimental use of medications that may exceed their FDA-approved labeling. Physicians should consult the current manufacturers’ prescribing information for these products. ACHL requires the speaker to disclose that a product is not labeled for the use under discussion.
This activity will take approximately 45 minutes to complete. To receive credit, participants are required to view the online activity and complete the pretest, posttest, and evaluation. To receive credit, 75% must be achieved on the posttest. A certificate will be immediately available. There is no fee to participate in the activity or for the generation of the certificate.
For questions, contact Ty Jackson at tjackson@achlcme.org.
The Academy for Continued Healthcare Learning is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
The Academy for Continued Healthcare Learning designates this enduring material for a maximum of 0.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.