Tighter transfusion strategy recommended to treat anemia in patients with heart disease

Red blood cell (RBC) transfusions should be restricted to those individuals with severe anemia in patients with heart disease, the American College of Physicians (ACP) recommends in a new clinical practice guideline published in Annals of Internal Medicine, ACP's flagship journal.ACP also recommends against using erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) in patients with mild to moderate anemia and congestive heart failure (CHF) or coronary artery disease (CHD) because the harms, including increased risks of thromboembolic events and stroke rates, outweigh the benefits.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Blood / Hematology Source Type: news