Anti-Anemia Drugs Flashcards
What are the 3 “nutritional amenias”?
- Folate (folic acid)
- B12
- Iron
What are the 5 mechanisms by which nutritional anemias arise?
The deficiencies arise from:
- inadequate ingestion
- improper absorption or utilization
- increased requirement
- excretion
- metabolic destruction of the nutrient
Describe the CBC of Fe deficiency anemia.
microcytic and hypochromic due to a reduction in Hb synthesis
80% of the Fe in the body is involved in _________________ but the rest are essential components for what?
80% is involved in RBC synthesis, but the rest is used in enzymes and proteins like:
1. myoglobin
2. cytochromes
3. peroxidase
4. xanthine oxidase
5. a-glycerophosphate oxidase
This is what causes the lethargy and weakness associated with Fe deficient anemia
What are the 3 major causes of Fe deficiency?
- Bleeding- for men GI is most common, for women GU (menses) or GI
- Inadequate dietary intake
- Interference with Fe absorption- usually after surgery where duodenum/jejunum is removed or with tropical sprue (flattening of villi and inflammation of the colon)
Who is at an increased risk of Fe deficiency in developed countries?
Pregnant women because there is increased demand for the growing fetus and maternal tissues.
Complete ferritin depletion is seen in 2nd and 3rd trimesters
Oral Fe preparations are usually __________ because they are more easily absorbable but they must be converted to __________ in the body to be usable.
Ferrous salts (Fe2) like sulfate, gluconate, fumarate but must be converted to ferric iron (Fe3) in the body
What are the oral preparations of ferrous salts?
- fumarate
- gluconate
- sulfate
Parenteral Fe preparations contain _____________ .
Ferric iron complexed to a carbohydrate.
ex.
1. iron dextran
2. sodium ferric gluconate
3. iron sucrose
What are 3 examples of parenteral preparations of iron?
Which can cause anaphylaxis and allergic reaction?
Which can cause renal damage?
Which is the preferred preparation?
- Iron dextran - anaphylaxis and allergy
- Na ferric gluconate -preferred
- Fe sucrose - renal damage
How much better are ferrous salts absorbed than ferric salts?
What is frequently given with oral Fe to preserve the salts and assist in absorption?
Ferrous salts absorb 3x more rapidly than ferric.
Vitamin C is given orally to preserve ferrous salts in ferrous form so they are absorbed
How long does it take to replenish Fe stores from oral iron?
Up to 6 months even if it is given at a dose 20x higher than normal daily intake
What preparation of Fe is chosen if you need to build iron stores rapidly?
IV parenteral Fe with a dose of 1200-2000mg
Iron dextran can replenish in one dose but it can cause allergic rxn and anaphylaxis
What are the side effects of oral Fe preparations?
What can reduce these side effects?
heartburn, nausea, upper GI discomfort, constipation and/or diarrhea
Side effects can be reduced by using Fe-polysaccharide complexes
Why must you be careful when giving Fe to children?
Large doses of ferrous salts can be toxic and cause death in children
What drug is given for Fe poison?
How is it given and by what mechanism does it work?
Deferoxamine is given IM or IV and chelates the Fe
What are the side effects of iron dextran?
How is it administered?
Allergic reactions and anaphylaxis
It is administered IV bc IM or SC preparations increase the risk of anaphylaxis and also cause severe skin staining
What is the major side effect of Iron sucrose?
It can causes renal damage
In what situations would you choose an oral preparation for Fe deficiency?
In what situations would you choose parenteral?
Oral:
1. bleeding, inadequate diet, pregnancy
Parenteral:
1. rapid restoration of Fe for SEVERE deficiency
2. when oral Fe can’t be tolerated
3. when it can’t be absorbed (after duodenal/jejunum surgery or tropical sprue)
What is the most common form of vit B12 deficiency?
Pernicious anemia- caused by the absence of intrinsic factor which is necessary for absorption of B12
A deficiency in ______ leads to megaloblastic anemia more rapidly than a deficiency in _______ because ___________________.
The body stores of folate are more limited than the stores of B12.
It takes weeks to deplete folate and months to deplete B12
What are the three major causes of pernicious anemia?
- atrophy of the gastric mucousa
- Autoantibodies against parietal cells
- autoantibodies against Intrinsic Factor
In addition to pernicious anemia, what else can cause B12 deficiency?
- gastric surgery (where IF is made)
- Ileal surgery (where IF and B12 are absorbed)
- disease
What are the two stable forms of B12 that can be used as drugs?
What is pharmokinetically different between the 2 drugs?
What are they converted to in the body?
- Cyanocobalamin (CN+B12)- it is absorbed IM once a month
- Hydroxycobalamin (OH+B12) - it is depleted more slowly so it can be given IM once every 1-3 months
In the body they are converted to CH3-B12 (methylcobalamin) or 5-deoxyadenosylcobalamin. These can accept CH3 groups from methyl-tetrahydrofolic acid which then allows the demethylated tetrahydrofolic acid to participate in DNA synthesis.
The CH3-B12 and 5deoxyadenosylB12 can then donate methyl group to homocysteine to make methionine which helps maintain the myelin sheath around nerves
