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Review
. 2009;33 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):S81-6.
doi: 10.3109/03630260903347526.

Cardiac complications in thalassemia major

John C Wood  1
Affiliations
Review

Cardiac complications in thalassemia major

John C Wood. Hemoglobin. 2009.

Abstract

Thalassemia major is characterized by chronic ineffective erythropoiesis and anemia as its primary problems. These, in turn, produce physiologic adaptations in the cardiovascular system as well as pathologic/iatrogenic processes such as iron overload, splenectomy, nutritional deficiencies, chronic oxidative stress, and lung disease. This article discusses the pathophysiology of thalassemia as it relates to the cardiovascular system, the mechanisms and monitoring of iron cardiomyopathy, pulmonary hypertension, and vascular aging in thalassemia patients.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
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References

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