The economic burden of anemia in heart failure.

Anemia is a complex issue in patients with heart failure (HF). In past years, clinicians accepted anemia as a given or an "accessory" diagnosis in HF patients. This attitude has changed since understanding of the causes and morbidity of anemia in HF has improved and with the introduction of targeted treatments. Increasing health care costs have stimulated vigorous debate about the cost-effectiveness of such treatments. It behooves clinicians to understand the effectiveness of specific treatments, risks and benefits, and costs. This review addresses the impact of anemia's prevalence, etiology, associated outcomes, and treatments on the economic burden of HF patients.