Anaemia Flashcards
What is the normal range for haemoglobin?
115 - 160 g/L
What is the normal range for Serum iron?
14 - 32 micromol/L
After insufficient iron, what is the second most common nutritional deficiency that can cause aneaemia?
Low levels of B12 and Folic acid (folate)
Which drugs may cause gastrointestinal bleeding?
NSAIDs
Low dose aspirin
Warfarin
Which vitamin improves the absorption of iron?
Vitamin C
What are the roles of B12?
Erythropoiesis and Neuronal function
Why are iron tablets taken an hour before food?
Because iron is absorbed better on an empty stomach
With what combination of vitamins would you treat a patient with iron deficiency anaemia secondary to menorrhagia?
ferrous fumarate/ folic acid (Ferro-F) combination.
Why do you combine folic acid and ferrous fumarate in the initial treatment of iron deficiency anaemia?
A combination with folate is useful in the initial period when folate requirements will be increased as the bone marrow responds. A change to an iron only preparation may be made in a few months time when the haemoglobin is normal.
Caution with B12/ folate replacement?
Vitamin B12 MUST be given before folate to avoid precipitating subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord.
Not entirely proved, and deemed unethical to test this. Also mechanism unclear.
What is the use of measuring ferritin concentrations?
Ferritin is a measure of long-term iron stores
After prescribing oral iron to a woman with microcytic hypochromic anaemia, how long would you wait before doing a full blood count?
2 to 3 weeks
What are three ways of monitoring the effectiveness of treatment for anaemia in the short term?
- Full blood count (after 2-3 weeks)
- Monitor exercise tolerance
- Check iron and haemoglobin after a month
What is the best measure of whether iron stores have been repleted by therapy?
Ferritin.
what are the common side-effects of oral iron treatment?
Nausea and black stools
