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Iron-Deficiency Anemia

Ferrous sulfate produced as tablet (ferrotab®), syrup (ferbolin®) and drop (ferbolin®).


What Is Iron-Deficiency Anemia?
Iron-deficiency anemia is the most common type of anemia, which occurs when your body does not have enough of the mineral iron. Your body needs iron to produce a protein called hemoglobin, which is responsible for carrying oxygen to your body’s tissues. Hemoglobin is a part of your red blood cells. As a result, iron deficiency anemia is a condition where a lack of iron in the body leads to a reduction in the number of red blood cells. Body iron is stored in the liver, red blood cell, and bone marrow. The red blood cell is the site of most storage iron.

How much iron do we need?
 The daily amount of iron that is recommended for healthy individuals should be adjusted as follows
• 1 mg/day for adult males
• 1.4 mg/day for premenopausal women

Dietary factors that affect iron absorption:
• Vitamin C increases iron absorption.
• Grains and tea reduce iron absorption.
Ferritin is a protein found inside cells that stores iron. The normal range for blood ferritin is:
• For men, 50-100 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL)
• For women, 25-30 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL)
Serum iron measures the amount of iron in the blood. Normal serum iron: 50-150 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL)



What Causes Iron-Deficiency Anemia? 
Iron-deficiency anemia is the most common type of anemia. The most common cause of iron-deficiency anemia is blood loss.
Blood loss from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the most common cause of IDA in adult men and postmenopausal women.
A lack of iron can be caused by several factors. Some of the most common causes of iron deficiency anaemia are outlined below.
• During periods of rapid growth in infants and children
• Pregnancy: especially in the second and third trimester
• Chronic blood loss, Hypermenorrhea (heavy menstrual bleeding), Blood donation
• Vegetarian diets
• Malabsorption: This may happen if you have coeliac disease and crohn's disease.
What are Symptoms of Iron deficiency anaemia? 
The symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia include:
  • Tiredness and lethargy (lack of energy)
  • Weakness
  • Pale skin
  • Headache
  • Shortness of breath, especially with activity
  • Dizziness
  • Palpitations or Fast heartbeat
As the anemia gets worse, symptoms may include:
  • Koilonychia (spoon-shaped nails)
  • Angular cheilitis (Cracking and ulceration at the corners of the mouth)
  • Glossitis


How is iron-deficiency anaemia (IDA) diagnosed?
If you experience symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia, see your GP. A simple blood test can usually confirm the diagnosis.
If you have anaemia due to iron deficiency:
• Levels of haemoglobin will be lower than normal
• Levels of ferritin will be lower than normal

What is the treatment for iron-deficiency anemia (IDA)?
Blood transfusion: A blood transfusion may be needed if your anemia caused by active bleeding. This will help replace the blood and iron you have lost.
Oral iron therapy: The current first line of therapy for patients with iron deficiency anemia is oral iron supplementation. The most commonly prescribed supplement is ferrous sulfate; each tablet contains 325 mg of iron salts, of which 65 mg is elemental iron. You should take the iron tablets on an empty stomach to improve absorption.

Note: When your blood level is back to normal, you should continue to take iron tablets for at least 6 further months. This will build up your stores of iron in your body. Generally, you'll start to feel better after a day or two days of beginning treatment.
The introduction of drug A patient Pathogens Symptoms Diagnosis and treatment
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Date: 10/16/2016
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What Causes Iron-Deficiency Anemia? 
Iron-deficiency anemia is the most common type of anemia. The most common cause of iron-deficiency anemia is blood loss.
Blood loss from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the most common cause of IDA in adult men and postmenopausal women.
A lack of iron can be caused by several factors. Some of the most common causes of iron deficiency anaemia are outlined below.
• During periods of rapid growth in infants and children
• Pregnancy: especially in the second and third trimester
• Chronic blood loss, Hypermenorrhea (heavy menstrual bleeding), Blood donation
• Vegetarian diets
• Malabsorption: This may happen if you have coeliac disease and crohn's disease.