Treatment of iron deficiency anemia in the adult

Abstract

In the adult iron deficiency anemia is the result of blood loss. Its appearance may be delayed and its severity modified by the extent of storage iron and amount of iron absorbed. While a tentative diagnosis of iron deficiency may be made on various grounds, proof rests on response to a therapeutic trial of iron. Effective oral and parenteral forms of therapy are available, each with particular advantages and disadvantages. Chief among these is the advantage of mucosal regulation of iron intake when oral iron therapy is employed and the ease of creating effective iron stores when parenteral iron is used. Selection of iron therapy depends on a consideration of these various factors.