What are the risks associated with using iron therapy?
There are a few risks associated with using iron therapy. Firstly, because of the potential to cause toxicity, there needs to be good evidence that a patient is iron deficient prior to being given IV iron. Secondly, a small percentage of patients with HF have iron overload as the cause of their HF. Lastly, there is the risk of missing other causes if the iron is replaced without further investigation, as iron deficiency can be a symptom of other disorders, particularly gastro-intestinal tract cancer.