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Introduction/Objective. The most common cause of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in both men and postmenopausal women are gastrointestinal diseases. This study aimed to determine the frequency of pathological and diagnostic findings observed on esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGDS) and colonoscopy in IDA patients, and examine associations between demographic, anamnestic, and clinical features, with findings found on endoscopy. Methods. A retrospective cross section study of patients with IDA was conducted. Results. Eighty-five patients with IDA were included, mean age of 60.3 ± 18.8 years, with 51.8% being women. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy, colonoscopy, or both was performed in 96.5%, 71.8%, and 70.6% of patients, respectively. The cause of IDA was established in 65.9% of cases. Diagnostic findings were observed in those who underwent EGDS, colonoscopy, or both in 43.9%, 47.5%, and 15.9% of patients, respectively. Diagnostic findings on EGDS were significantly more common in patients older than 50 years then in younger patients (p = 0.031). Patients with a diagnostic finding on colonoscopy more commonly reported weight loss (p = 0.046) and change in bowel habit (p = 0.012), alongside positive fecal occult blood test (FOBT; p = 0.012); they rarely had anemia previously (p = 0.001), rarely used iron supplements (p = 0.022), and were more likely to have malignancy in their past medical history (p = 0.043). Conclusion. Diagnostic findings on EGDS were more commonly observed in older patients, while diagnostic findings on colonoscopy were more common in those with weight loss, change in bowel habit, positive FOBT, and prior malignancy. Colonoscopy was more often diagnostic in patients without anemia or iron supplementation in the past.

Introduction: Given the increasing occurrence of pregnancy at a relatively older age in the current clinical practice, many therapeutic approaches characteristically used in the elderly population are becoming an important consideration point for the clinicians. Antiplatelet drugs: The safety of antiplatelet drug administration in pregnancy should be brought into a sharper focus regarding both mother and child. It is a complex clinical task since the pregnancy is followed by many changes potentially affecting the drug choice - increased blood coagulability, changes in platelet aggregation, and pharmacokinetic alternations of the drug itself. Acetylsalicylic acid, as the most commonly used antiplatelet drug, appears to be mostly safe and effective for mother and fetus in many conditions occurring during pregnancy when used in low doses. However, although considered generally safe, its use requires careful approach due to many drug and pregnancy specificities. On the other hand, evidence showing adequate clinical use of P2Y12 receptor antagonists (clopidogrel, ticagrelor, prasugrel, and ticlopidine) are scarce. Cases showing their use in clinical practice are emerging and the future practice and treatment approach might be changed with the new cases becoming available. Conclusion: Regardless of the drug, pregnancy itself and any indication for the treatment used in this patient population are typically complex and require well-coordinated management by the interdisciplinary clinical team.

Introduction: The current number of women in the reproductive phase (from 15 to 45 years) in Europe is estimated at about 105 million, with about 5 million children annually born in average. About 1% of pregnancies among women in Europe are complicated by heart disease, the risk of cardiovascular disease in pregnant women being further increased by the fact that ever older women are giving birth. Methods: Preparing this paper is based on a systematic PubMed search of existing professional databases and accessible medical journals and textbooks dealing with this subject matter. Topic: Being certainly drugs with the best anticoagulant effect in situations of high risk for thrombosis, especially in patients with mechanical prosthetic heart valves during pregnancy, vitamin K antagonists (VKA) on the other hand also entail a well-known dose-related risk of embryo toxicity, genotoxicity, and hemorrhage in the fetus and in the mother. The choice of appropriate anticoagulant depends on the stage of pregnancy. In accordance with the North-American guidelines (American College of Chest Physicians - ACCP) for women already on oral vitamin K antagonists actively trying to conceive frequent pregnancy tests, and substitution of VKA with heparin drugs when pregnant are recommended rather than VKA replacement with low molecular weight heparin (Low Molecular Weight Heparin - LMWH) when planning a pregnancy. Heparin derivatives have no embryo toxic and fetotoxic characteristic effects of VKA but they are less effective at preventing valve thrombosis, due to which they have recently been superseded by improved techniques for monitoring effects of heparin, with a mentioned made that low molecular weight heparin used in high therapeutic doses requires obligatory (on a weekly basis) monitoring of anti-factor Xa coagulation activities. Conclusion: Adequate anticoagulant therapy during pregnancy requires an analysis of risk factors for thrombosis, hemorrhage risk, consideration of comorbidities in pregnant women, especially renal function, especially taking into account the gestational age. Though it must be admitted that there is no absolutely safe anticoagulant therapy during pregnancy, a choice of the safest option regarding the stated risks for the mother and the child is of paramount importance.