RESUMEN
Congestive heart failure is a disease of high incidence and prevalence in the elderly. Anemia is associated with an increased mortality in these patients. This article reviews the cumulated evidence about the use of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents in congestive heart failure patients. Although some improvement in quality of life has been shown, it has not been found any decrement on mortality and, as a result, together with the high drug cost, it is not recommended the use of this kind of drugs in heart failure patients.
Asunto(s)
Anemia/tratamiento farmacológico , Insuficiencia Cardíaca/complicaciones , Hematínicos/uso terapéutico , Anemia/diagnóstico , Anemia/etiología , Anemia/mortalidad , Insuficiencia Cardíaca/mortalidad , Humanos , Calidad de Vida , Resultado del TratamientoRESUMEN
La insuficiencia cardiaca congestiva es un trastorno de elevada incidencia y prevalencia en el paciente anciano. La presencia de anemia se correlaciona también de forma negativa con el pronóstico para la vida del paciente. Este estudio revisa la evidencia disponible sobre el uso de agentes estimuladores de la eritropoyesis en pacientes con insuficiencia cardiaca. Aunque puede observarse alguna mejora en la calidad de vida del paciente, no se ha demostrado que reduzca la mortalidad, por lo cual, debido también a su elevado coste, se desaconseja este tipo de fármacos en pacientes con insuficiencia cardiaca congestiva (AU)
Congestive heart failure is a disease of high incidence and prevalence in the elderly. Anemia is associated with an increased mortality in these patients. This article reviews the cumulated evidence about the use of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents in congestive heart failure patients. Although some improvement in quality of life has been shown, it has not been found any decrement on mortality and, as a result, together with the high drug cost, it is not recommended the use of this kind of drugs in heart failure patients (AU)