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Ferrous Fumarate - Gluconate - Sulphate
⚠️ Iron is very toxic in overdose, especially in children. Modern practice often prefers once-daily dosing to improve absorption and reduce side effects, and IV iron should be considered if oral therapy is ineffective or not tolerated. 💉
ℹ️ About
Always check the BNF link here 📖 for the latest dosing and safety information.
- Main use: treatment of iron deficiency anaemia 🩸.
⚙️ Mode of Action
- Oral ferrous salts provide elemental iron, which is absorbed in the duodenum and jejunum.
- Iron is incorporated into haemoglobin, myoglobin, and various enzymes essential for oxygen transport and cellular metabolism.
💊 Indications & Dose
- Ferrous fumarate: 210 mg OD–TDS PO.
- Ferrous gluconate: 600 mg OD–TDS PO.
- Ferrous sulphate: 200 mg OD–TDS PO.
- Higher doses for repletion; lower doses for maintenance.
- Absorption best on an empty stomach, but GI intolerance often necessitates taking with food 🍞.
⚠️ Interactions
- See BNF — absorption reduced by tea, coffee, antacids, PPIs, tetracyclines, and quinolones.
🔎 Cautions
- See BNF — caution in patients with intestinal disease (e.g. IBD) due to risk of exacerbation.
- Consider IV iron if malabsorption, intolerance, or need for rapid correction.
🚫 Contraindications
- See BNF — avoid in haemochromatosis, haemosiderosis, and iron-loading anaemias (e.g. thalassaemia major).
❗ Side Effects
- GI: nausea 🤢, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea 💩, constipation.
- Dark stools (benign, but often alarming to patients).
- Serious: iron poisoning in overdose — causes metabolic acidosis, shock, and multi-organ failure (particularly in children ⚠️👶).
📚 References
📝 Revisions
- Latest update: clarified once-daily preference and added IV iron consideration.
| The content on this website is provided for educational and informational purposes only to support exam preparation (e.g., MLA, MRCP, USMLE) and learning. This is NOT medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or professional guidance. It does not replace consultation with a qualified healthcare professional, official guidelines (e.g., NICE, GMC, BNF), or supervised clinical practice. Always verify information with current, authoritative sources. Makindo and its contributors accept no liability for any reliance on this content, including errors, omissions, or any resulting harm, loss, or consequences. By using this site, you agree to these terms. |
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