Can anemia affect the outcome of heart surgery?

Anemia is now confirmed as a risk factor for illness and even death following cardiac surgery, according to a study published in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.

In this study, researchers found that the patients with severe anemia had nearly double the operative mortality rate of patients who did not have severe anemia and were at increased risk for stroke, prolonged mechanical ventilation, and longer stays in the intensive care unit. Further investigation found similar results in patients with moderate anemia.