The Incidence and Characteristic Features of Anemia in Older Patients With Coronary Artery Disease

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies have shown that the presence of anemia is associated with increased short- and long-term outcomes in patients with cardio-vascular diseases, especially coronary artery disease. Decreased hemoglobin level is associated with increased mortality, increased frequency of hospitalization due to different reasons, decreased quality of life and worsening of the clinical course of the main and comorbid diseases. Knowledge about the origin of the patient’s anemia should result in its treatment and possible prevention of the rapid progression of the main cardio-vascular disease, particularly in elderly patients.OBJECTIVES: determination of the incidence and characteristic features of anemia in elderly and senile patients with chronic forms of coronary artery disease.METHODS: 1993 case reports of patients with chronic forms of coronary artery disease with comorbid anemia were analyzed retrospectively.RESULTS: Among all examined patients with coronary artery disease, anemia is found in nearly 70% of cases. In people after the age of 60, anemia is more common in men than in women. Only in less than a hundred case reports, the diagnosis of anemia was recorded in the final clinical diagnosis during patients’ discharge from the hospital. The incidence of anemia does not depend on the form of the chronic CAD (stable angina pectoris or cardiosclerosis). In most patients with CAD, comorbid anemia is of a normochromic and normocytic character. Along with the progression of the severity of the comorbid anemia, a statistically significant increase of the hospitalization period is observed. In patients with CAD and comorbid anemia the frequency of hospitalizations per year is also increased.CONCLUSIONS: Chronic forms of coronary artery disease in elderly and senile patients in 69,89% of cases are complicated by comorbid anemia of different degrees of severity. In older patients with CAD, anemic syndrome is most often caused by respiratory diseases, stomach and duodenal ulcers, and cancer of various localizations. In most patients with CAD, comorbid anemia is of a normochromic and normocytic character. Concomitant anemia in patients with CAD contributes to the prolongation of the patients’ in-hospital treatment and increases the frequency of hospitalizations due to the main disease throughout the year.