Question

Discuss the administration of iron formulations (parenteral and oral)

Answer 1

Oral iron formula:

Administer orally between meals (e.g. 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal). For patients who have difficulty in tolerating oral iron supplements give them  smaller, frequent doses and start with a lower dose and increase slowly to the target dose.

Premature or low-birthweight infants: 2–4 mg/kg daily starting preferably at 1 month,and Do not exceed 15 mg daily.

Normal full-term infants who are not breastfed or are only partially breastfed: 1 mg/kg daily, as iron-fortified formula, starting at birth

Children ≥10 years of age may require daily iron supplementation of 2 or 5 mg daily in males or females, respectively.

Parenteral iron formula:

Iron injections are administered either directly into the blood stream through an IV line or into the muscle.
There are types of solutions containing iron that can be injected into the circulatory system or muscle to increase  iron levels in the body. The appropriate type, amount, and frequency of iron injections are determined for each individual patient based on the iron deficiency. Some examples of parenteral iron formulation are:

Iron Sucrose (Venofer): This form is used in the treatment of iron-deficiency anemia in chronic renal failure.

Sodium Ferric Gluconate (Ferrlecit): This injectable iron is used for repletion of total body iron content in patients with iron-deficiency anemia who are going through hemodialysis.