Intravenous Iron Offered to Treat Blood Disorders

Intravenous iron is used to treat iron deficiency in patients who, for a variety of reasons, are unable to maintain sufficient iron. Iron is one of the minerals in the human body and one of the parts of hemoglobin, found in red blood cells that help carry oxygen throughout the body.

The most common iron deficiency is anemia. If you need intravenous iron treatment, your primary care physician may refer you to a hematologist.

Intravenous iron comes in a variety of formulas. It can be administered all at one time, or over several periods. Your hematologists at Mercy will decide on which intravenous iron preparation is best for your blood disorder. Intravenous iron types include:

• Iron dextran
• Iron sucrose
• Ferric gluconate

Intravenous iron is administered through a needle into the patient’s vein or muscle. This outpatient procedure can take place in the doctor’s office or a clinic. The length of the treatment will depend on which treatment plan your doctor ordered. Your intravenous iron treatment will stop once your iron levels are restored to the appropriate level.

Patients who receive intravenous iron do so because they cannot take oral supplements or have one of the following medical disorders:

• People with bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract (GI) and who need to replace iron immediately
• People with inflammatory bowel disease and cannot take oral iron because how it effects their GI tract
• People on dialysis
• Cancer patients with anemia who are taking ESA (erythropoiesis-stimulating agents) 

The side effects of intravenous iron are typically minimal, but may include:

• Anaphylaxis
• Breathing issues
• Chest pain
• Low blood pressure
• Nausea and cramps
• Skin rash