Stroke Secondary to Iron Deficiency Anemia: A Case Report

Abstract

Cerebrovascular accident is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States, with about 795,000 cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each year. Several risk calculators for the development of stroke have been developed throughout the years, but none included iron deficiency anemia (IDA). We therefore would like to highlight the case of a 34-year-old female with severe iron deficiency anemia secondary to menorrhagia who had an ischemic stroke. An extensive workup was done and was negative. Given its significant presence with other comorbidities and various proposed pathogenesis, we propose that iron deficiency anemia be considered as a stroke factor. Studies in optimal hemoglobin or iron levels in patients with stroke to lower comorbidities and predict prognosis may also be beneficial.