Iron-deficiency anemia
From IDWiki
Epidemiology
- 5% of non-pregnant American women, 3-7% in the elderly
Etiology
- Loss
- GI bleed
- Increased requirements: pregnancy, post-bleeding recovery, use of Epo
- Poor intake
- Inadequate absoprtion
- Inflammatory bowel dz, Celiac dz
- something else
Investigations
- Microcytic anemia
- Ferritin <30
Management
Iron supplementation
- Oral
- Ferrous sulfate 300mg (60mg elemental)
- Ferrous fumarate 300 (100mg elemental, covered by ODB)
- Ferramax
- Proferrin (heme iron)
- Take on empty stomach with ascorbic acid, without calcium-containing products
- Start daily, then titrate up to TID
- Side effects: stomach upset, constipation, diarrhea
- Parenteral
- If oral iron intoleratble
- Moderate or severe anemia with Hb <90
- Retics within a week
- Iron sucrose 300mg IV over 2 hours
- Contraindicated in active infection
- Rare anaphylaxis, hypotension
