Kirollos S. Hanna, PharmD, BCPS, BCOP, FACCC, FAPO

Panelists discuss how iron deficiency anemia manifests through debilitating symptoms, including severe fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, headaches, and difficulty concentrating, which can profoundly impact patients’ daily functioning, work performance, and overall quality of life.

Panelists discuss how iron deficiency anemia significantly impacts patients’ quality of life through symptoms like chronic fatigue, shortness of breath, and cognitive dysfunction, while also creating substantial psychosocial burdens including depression, reduced work productivity, and social isolation, particularly affecting vulnerable populations who may face barriers to diagnosis and treatment.

Panelists discuss how chronic kidney disease leads to iron deficiency anemia through a complex interplay of impaired iron absorption, increased hepcidin production driven by inflammatory cytokines, and reduced erythropoietin synthesis, resulting in both functional and absolute iron deficiency alongside diminished red blood cell production.