Short-Term Effects & Safety of an Accelerated Intravenous Iron Regimen in Patients With Heart Failure

The purpose of this pilot investigation is to evaluate the short-term hematologic effects and safety of an accelerated intravenous iron regimen in patients with heart failure and iron deficiency. Recent investigations have demonstrated improved clinical outcomes with the use of intravenous iron therapy in this patient population, but a weekly regimen administered to ambulatory patients may be inconvenient, impractical, and associated with less than optimal adherence rates for many patients, especially those with reduced functional capacity. The heart failure population is characterized by frequent hospitalizations, which would make an accelerated inpatient regimen a convenient and attractive option for improving heart failure symptoms, exercise tolerance, and quality of life. Accelerated regimens have been demonstrated as being both safe and effective in other patient populations, but no studies to date have evaluated this strategy in hospitalized patients with heart failure.