Iron is an essential mineral and its deficiency leads to anemia. There are reports that excess of iron is also bad. It seems that iron is capable of promoting the action of free radicals (reactive oxygen species). This produces additional inflammatory reactions and can promote plaque formation in the coronary arteries.
When macrophages are loaded with iron, they are incapable of removing cholesterol from the plaques. This release of iron from the macrophages is prevented by the hormone hepcidin which is produced and released from the liver. Researchers from the US have developed a drug which is capable of inhibiting hepcidin and this, indirectly helps to move the cholesterol out of the plaques.
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