Notes for: Nutrition & bloodLast edited [14/12/2023 12:56:27]
Notes for: Oral IronLast edited [15/08/2011 14:28:26]
WARNING - Iron tablets may be attractive to children and patients should be warned to store their iron tablets carefully to avoid accidental iron poisoning.
Last edited [15/08/2011 14:28:49]
1. Iron preparations differ in their iron content. As gastro-intestinal side effects are related to the iron content there is a lower incidence of side effects with preparations containing less iron. Ferrous gluconate is included as a second line preparation containing less iron than ferrous sulphate for those patients unable to tolerate ferrous sulphate.
2. Patients should be advised to continue taking iron for 3 months after recovery of haemoglobin to allow replenishment of iron stores.
3. Maximum absorption of iron occurs with three times a day dosing (best taken with meals). Once or twice a day dosing of iron preparations may be effective for prophylaxis or mild iron deficiency.
4. Modified release preparations have not been included because they are likely to carry the iron past the first part of the duodenum into an area of the gut where conditions for iron absorption are poor. The low incidence of side effects may well be because of the small amounts of iron available under these conditions. The BNF recommends that these preparations have no therapeutic advantage and should not be used.
5. Under part XVIIIB of the Drug Tariff, Niferex® can only be prescribed on FP10s to infants born prematurely for prophylaxis in treatment of iron deficiency. Such prescriptions must be endorsed SLS.
6. Pregaday® has not been included. It contains 350 microgram of folic acid, which is less than the 400 micrograms recommended for the prevention of neural tube defects in women planning a pregnancy (as per NICE CG 62 - Antenatal care) and is inadequate for the treatment of megaloblastic anaemia.