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Intravenous iron therapy: how far have we come?

Oral iron supplementation is usually the first choice for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) because of its effectiveness and low cost. But unfortunately in many iron deficient conditions, oral iron is a less than the ideal treatment mainly because of adverse events related to the gastrointestinal tract as well as the long course required to treat anemia and replenish body iron stores. The first iron product for intravenous use was high-molecular-weight iron dextran. However, dextran-containing intravenous iron preparations are associated with an elevated risk of anaphylactic reactions, which made physicians reluctant to prescribe intravenous iron in the treatment of iron deficiency…

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Articles of Interest

Analysis of Adverse Events and Intravenous Iron Infusion Formulations in Adults With and Without Prior Infusion Reactions

Intravenous (IV) iron is more effective and faster acting than oral iron; however, concerns persist among some clinicians regarding the overall safety of certain IV iron formulations. IV iron carries a minimal (1:100-250) risk of inducing a minor hypersensitivity reaction that can include flushing, urticaria, pruritus, or chest and/or back pressure. Severe adverse events (SAEs) are exceedingly rare, but the exact frequency is unclear.

Intravenous (IV) iron infusions

The most common way to treat iron deficiency is to take iron by mouth as a tablet or liquid. This works well for most people and is usually tried first. Some people may need iron to be given straight into the body through a vein. This is called an Intravenous (IV) iron infusion. The iron is given through a needle and dripped (‘infused’) into your vein. Sometimes 2 iron infusions (given at least 1 week apart) are needed to fully top up iron stores. The infusion is made up of iron, not blood. IV iron might be needed if you...

Intravenous iron infusion as an alternative to minimize blood transfusion in peri-operative patients

Despite the reported benefits of intravenous iron therapy (IVIT) for correcting iron deficiency anemia (IDA) before any major surgery and the evidence thereof, perioperative allogenic blood transfusion (ABT) practice is still considered as the only viable option by some clinicians worldwide.

Iron Infusion vs. Pills - Treating Iron Deficiency

For individuals suffering from iron deficiency anemia, the most common treatment is oral iron supplements. However, intravenous iron allows complete replacement of iron and alleviation of anemia in one (or more) sessions. With the development of safer solutions, IV iron has been used more often for anemic individuals with inflammatory bowel disease, gynecological and obstetric issues, renal failure, and cancer. Yet it is still an underutilized method due to outdated methods and safety concerns. IV iron may be particularly helpful for older individuals, who may not even realize that they have iron deficiency.

Single-dose intravenous iron for iron deficiency: a new paradigm

Iron-deficiency anemia is the most common hematologic problem in the world. Although oral iron is often viewed as front-line therapy, extensive published evidence has accumulated that IV iron is superior, in both efficacy and safety, to oral iron in many clinical situations and should be introduced much sooner in the treatment paradigm of iron-deficient patients.

Resources

Injectafer

Injectafer is an intravenous (IV) iron replacement product that is used to treat iron deficiency anemia (IDA). It was designed to gradually release iron once inside your body, which may decrease the potential for some side effects and give you more iron in just 2 administrations.

MonoFerric

FOR PATIENTS WEIGHING 50 kg OR MORE: Administer 1000 mg of Monoferric by intravenous infusion ≥20 minutes as a single dose1 FOR PATIENTS WEIGHING LESS THAN 50 kg: Administer Monoferric as 20 mg/kg actual body weight by intravenous infusion ≥20 minutes as a single dose1

The Iron Clinic

The Iron Clinic was established in 2015 and remains the only professional provider for outpatient iron infusions in the UK. We are a private clinic providing intravenous iron infusions for clients suffering from iron deficiency and anaemia.