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What Is Iron Infusion Therapy?
Patients diagnosed with severe iron deficiency may require iron infusion therapy, which involves intravenous delivery of iron products. This is an alternative treatment when oral iron supplementation or intramuscular iron injections either cannot be used or do not supply sufficient amounts of the mineral. Iron deficiency occurs when the body cannot produce enough red blood cells to compensate for a loss. Chemotherapy, chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, and kidney failure are some of the conditions that might require iron replacement by infusion.
Individuals typically receive iron infusion therapy in a hospital setting. Prior to beginning the treatment, technicians usually administer a testing dose of around 25 milligrams of iron intravenously while monitoring vital signs and checking for symptoms of adverse reactions. Ferric gluconate, iron dextran, and iron sucrose complexes, diluted in normal saline, are some of the products used for infusion. Iron infusion treatments may take anywhere from three to eight hours, depending on the degree of anemia and the prescribed dosage.
Allergic reactions are a primary concern in patients receiving iron infusion therapy. Reactions may appear as topical hives or rashes, but more severe symptoms, include difficulty breathing, swallowing, and chest pain may also develop. Facilities generally have emergency medical equipment close by in the event of anaphylactic occurrences. Common side effects of iron infusion include dizziness, flushing, headache, and a metallic taste in the mouth. Some patients experience flu-like symptoms for two or three days.
Chemotherapy often damages red blood cells or hinders the bone marrow's ability to produce replacements. Patients with inflammatory bowel diseases, including Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, commonly experience internal bleeding, which depletes red blood cell numbers. End stage renal disease is one of the more common reasons for patients to require iron infusion therapy. The ailing kidneys do not secrete enough erythropoietin, the hormone that stimulates red blood cell production in the bone marrow. Physicians also believe that the body's inability to remove waste products effectively causes uremic toxins, which also contribute to decreased bone marrow production.
Physicians typically diagnose iron deficiency when hematocrit and hemoglobin concentrations fall below acceptable levels. Hematocrit levels average around 33% to 36%, depending on lab criteria, and represent the percentage of blood volume that contains red blood cells. Hemoglobin levels average 11 to 13 grams per deciliter of blood and indicate the amount of iron protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. Iron levels within blood average between 40 to 150 micrograms per deciliter in women and 50 to 160 micrograms per deciliter for men.
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![A diagram showing diseases of the colon. Iron infusion therapy may help some patients with ulcerative colitis.]()
By: AlilaA diagram showing diseases of the colon. Iron infusion therapy may help some patients with ulcerative colitis. -
![Iron infusion therapy is done intravenously to treat severe iron deficiencies.]()
By: wacharaphongIron infusion therapy is done intravenously to treat severe iron deficiencies. -
![A severe iron deficiency may cause muscle spasms.]()
By: Photographee.euA severe iron deficiency may cause muscle spasms. -
![Iron deficiency occurs when the body cannot produce enough red blood cells to compensate for loss.]()
By: Dmitry SunagatovIron deficiency occurs when the body cannot produce enough red blood cells to compensate for loss. -
![Iron infusion therapy might help people with fatigue issues.]()
By: ChenPGIron infusion therapy might help people with fatigue issues. -
![Patients diagnosed with severe iron deficiency should refrain from donating blood.]()
By: Gina SandersPatients diagnosed with severe iron deficiency should refrain from donating blood.
Discussion Comments
As a (relatively) young woman in my 30's I have had to have numerous iron infusions over the last six years. Within several weeks, the original symptoms that I experienced went away. The exhaustion can get to the point of not even being able to lift my arms to get a glass out of a cabinet -- and that's if I can even get out of bed. The headaches are an unpleasant symptom of my low iron.
So despite five sessions of infusions, each generally lasting six hours start to finish, it is worth it to feel better if even just for a few months.
@pleonasm - It sounds like most of the reasons that people might need this kind of infusion are pretty serious, so unfortunately, I think they might be feeling pretty bad anyway, iron or no iron. It's not something I would want to have to do. I've given blood plasma before, where they hook you up to a machine and you have your own blood going out and then the red cells coming back in again and I found it to be quite unpleasant. I imagine getting an iron infusion would be somewhat similar, seeing as it's basically the same kind of substance going into your blood stream.
Of course, it probably feels different for every person.
I bet someone who receives this therapy feels so much better after it's done. Whenever I get low on iron (which happens quite a bit as I don't eat much meat and I run a lot, which apparently uses it up quite quickly) I feel terrible until I take a supplement.
Often I don't even realize how bad I've been feeling until after I have the supplement and start to feel better, so I can't even imagine how poorly people who need an infusion of iron must feel before they get the iron they need.
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