Peripheral arterial disease and anaemia

Iron deficiency anaemia is highly prevalent worldwide. In the surgical patient, anaemia of any cause implies higher morbidity and mortality in the post-operative period. This is especially important in patients with peripheral artery disease, as they have very high rates of anemia due to iron deficiency or other causes. In intermittent claudication, anemia is a predictor of death in the medium term. Patients with critical ischemia have higher prevalence of anaemia and it is an indicator of amputation and death in the medium term. Specific protocols need to be developed for these patients since the natural history of their disease does not allow for the correction of anemia before surgery.