IDA Flashcards
1
Q
What are the common causes of IDA?
A
- Most common cause is blood loss e.g. menstruating women with menorrhagia
- Dietary insufficiency most common cause in children
2
Q
Where is iron absrobed?
A
Duodenum and jejenum.
3
Q
What can cause inadequate iron absorption?
A
- conditions that cause inflammation of duodenum and jejenum such as coeliac disease, crohns disease
- PPI reduce stomach acid, cause iron to turn into insoluble form, so cant be absorbed.
4
Q
What are the RFs for IDA?
A
Teens, pregnant mothers, postmenopausal women.
5
Q
What would someone with IDA present with?
A
Fatigue, pallor, pica, restless leg syndrome.
6
Q
What tests would need to diagnosis IDA?
A
*Ferritin is iron in stored form in cells
- FBC decreased, MCV decreased (microcytic anaemia)
- Serum iron decreased
- Total iron binding capacity (total space on transferrin for iron to bind) increased
- Transferrin saturation <16% decreased
- Ferritin increased
7
Q
What is the medical Mx for IDA?
A
Oral ferrous sulfate
8
Q
What can cause increase in iron tests?
A
- Supplementation with iron
- Acute liver damage (lots of iron is stored in the liver)
Both can give impression of iron overload.
9
Q
When to send for referral
A
2ww referral for pts: >60 with IDA >55 with postmenopausal bleeding >50 with rectal bleeding Suspecting GI bleed from GI tract cancer, oesophagitis, gastritis.
