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Anaemia - iron deficiency - Management
What should I recommend if there is inadequate benefit with initial iron treatment?
- Assess compliance and whether the iron treatment is tolerated.
- If an oral iron supplement (usually ferrous sulphate) is not tolerated, then address adverse effects by:
- Offering a laxative to people with constipation.
- Offering reassurance to people who have black stools.
- Recommending the person takes iron with or after meals.
- Reducing the dose frequency of the iron supplement (i.e. one or two tablets daily).
- Giving a different iron formulation or salt with a lower content of elemental iron (e.g. ferrous gluconate).
- If the person is still unable to tolerate oral iron supplements, seek specialist advice.
- People should undergo specialist assessment if there is a lack of response (increase of less than 2 g/dL in the haemoglobin level) after 2–4 weeks.
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