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Hemochromatosis for Health Care Professionals
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What Every Clinician and Health Care Professional Needs To Know

Hemochromatosis: What every clinician and health care professional needs to know is an online training course for primary care providers describing the pathophysiology, epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and management of patients with adult onset hemochromatosis.

If you are looking for basic information about hemochromatosis and hereditary hemochromatosis, visit the CDC Web site Iron Overload and Hemochromatosis for information designed to help patients and their families maintain healthy lifestyles.


Overview of the Disease

The disease hemochromatosis, a disorder of iron metabolism, occurs as a result of excess iron accumulation in tissues and organs. If left undiagnosed and untreated, iron overloading can cause serious and sometimes fatal health problems. Early detection of iron overload and hemochromatosis treatment can delay or prevent irreversible complications and prolong life.

  • Early non-specific symptoms of hemochromatosis (e.g., fatigue, arthralgias, weakness, weight loss, abdominal pain) often resemble symptoms of various other diseases.
  • The diagnosis of hemochromatosis is often missed, especially when the disease is in its early stages.
  • Delay in diagnosis results in an increase of related health problems, including permanent organ damage.
  • Hemochromatosis can be detected with simple blood tests.
  • The treatment of choice, phlebotomy, is relatively easy and inexpensive.

Health care professionals therefore, need to maintain a high index of suspicion for patients with early non-specific symptoms of this disease.


Continuing Education

FREE   Free continuing education credit is available for physicians, nurses, and health educators.  The course (WB3060) requires approximately two hours to complete. Once you have completed it, click here to register for your credit.

Initial Release Date: July 1, 2003
Renewal Date: June 30, 2006
Expiration Date: June 30, 2009


Purpose of the Course

Hemochromatosis experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and medical experts throughout the United States developed this course to promote early detection and early intervention of adult onset hemochromatosis. List of Faculty.


Course Objectives

  • Recognize signs and symptoms of hemochromatosis.
  • Identify the recommended procedures for diagnosing hemochromatosis.
  • Identify an initial course of treatment for patients.
  • Counsel hemochromatosis patients about the importance of family-based detection.

Course Modules


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This page last updated November 01, 2007

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