Parenteral Iron Therapy

Abstract

ALTHOUGH oral administration of iron salts is the therapy of choice in iron-deficiency anemia, certain circumstances make it advisable to administer iron by injection. Until recently, saccharated iron oxide was the only effective preparation for this purpose. This required intravenous injection and was potentially dangerous.¹ In the search for a nontoxic effective preparation, British investigators combined iron with a dextran of low molecular weight. This compound can be injected intravenously or intramuscularly, although the latter route is recommended. It has been reported to be both effective and nontoxic.^{2 , 3} The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate further these properties of the . . .