A third to half of patients with heart failure have a correlation to iron deficiency.
So says registered nurse and spokesperson for TheIronMaiden.ca Leona Dove.
She says a recent report shows a similarity in symptoms for iron deficiency and heart disease.
“And when we’re talking about signs and symptoms of iron deficiency, we look at things like palpitations, chest pains, breathlessness after minimal exertion,” says Dove. “Certainly when you think of those symptoms they also correlate with signs and symptoms of heart disease.”
Dove says if you have any of those symptoms as well as chronic fatigue, irritability and an inability to concentrate you should visit your doctor or an emergency room depending on the severity of the symptoms.
She adds iron deficiency makes the heart work harder to get oxygen throughout the body and appears to be linked to an increased risk of heart disease.
Dove says iron is a major component in producing hemoglobin which carries oxygen around the body and a deficiency reduces the amount of oxygen for both the entire body and the heart muscle.
“That heart muscle is not getting enough oxygen, and it’s working harder,” says Dove. “So the chances of that heart muscle actually getting starved of oxygen increases and then we end up with the symptoms of angina and possibly leading into a heart attack.”
She adds the website The Iron Maiden.ca can help you identify if you may have iron deficiency, however, she cautions the site is not a replacement for a doctor and encourages everyone to get regular blood tests to ensure they are in optimal shape.
The website can be accessed here: http://theironmaiden.ca
