Are You Aware Of The Intravenous Iron Infusion Therapy?
Are You Aware Of The Intravenous Iron Infusion Therapy?

An iron infusion is an effective treatment for iron deficiency. Iron is needed to make red blood cells or haemoglobin which carries oxygen from the lungs to the muscles, tissues and organs. Low iron levels cause tiredness and affect your ability to function. As the iron stores become depleted, the haemoglobin level drops, and this is called iron deficiency anaemia.

An iron infusion therapy is a method used to treat iron deficiency. The purpose of an iron infusion is to improve the iron deficit by directly replenishing the body’s iron stores.

How is iron deficiency treated?

There are several ways to replace and restore iron stores in the body:

  1. Oral iron in the form of tablets or liquid
  2. Intravenous (IV) infusion.
  3. Intramuscular iron (injection into the muscle). This is painful, causes skin staining, and should be avoided.

Oral iron is not a suitable option for everyone. The intravenous method can be considered in certain circumstances such as:

  • Difficulty taking oral iron due to side effects
  • Unable to absorb oral iron
  • Ongoing blood loss exceeding the ability to restore iron levels with oral iron
  • When there is a need to replace iron stores quickly, for example, late in pregnancy or before a major surgery to avoid a need for blood transfusions
  • Individuals with chronic kidney disease receiving EPO hormonal treatment

What is an iron infusion?

Iron infusion is a treatment where iron is given through a vein and directly enters the bloodstream. It is also called intravenous (IV) iron. A needle or cannula is placed in the arm or the back of the hand, which is then connected to a drip with iron mixed in with a saline solution.

There are different IV iron preparations available; the most commonly used these days is Ferric Carboxymaltose. This is the most recent addition of IV iron, and the main advantage is the significantly shorter duration of infusion of no more than 15 minutes. It is also associated with a lower risk of having an allergic reaction.

Where is an iron infusion administered?

No overnight hospitalisation stay is necessary with iron infusions. Patients are generally in the hospital for no more than a couple of hours.The infusion itself takes around 15 minutes, and after the treatment, there is a period of observation before the patient is discharged.

Read Complete Article at Iron Infusion Therapy

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