Iron deficiency anemia occurs when the level of healthy red blood cells in your body decreases. Red blood cells carry oxygen to the body's tissues. Without enough iron, your body can't produce enough hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the substance in red blood cells that enables them to carry oxygen.
IDA is the most common type of anemia
There are other kinds of anemia, but Iron Deficiency Anemia or IDA is the most common, affecting approximately 6.5 million people in the US
Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a condition that interferes with the formation and function of red blood cells. Red blood cells contain hemoglobin, a protein that helps carry oxygen from the lungs to cells in the body. To produce hemoglobin, your body needs iron. When you don’t have enough healthy red blood cells to carry enough oxygen to cells throughout the body, that’s anemia
Iron is an essential mineral your body needs for growth and development. We get iron from the foods we eat, and it is absorbed into our blood in our small intestine. But if you aren’t getting enough iron, you’re losing too much iron, or your body isn’t able to absorb it, you may become iron deficient. Iron deficiency is the difference between the amount of iron you have and the amount your body needs to keep you in good health
Normal red blood cell count with a healthy
level of oxygen-carrying hemoglobin:
IDA is a condition in which you have fewer red
blood cells and less hemoglobin inside each cell:
Certain foods or diets help with Iron Deficiency Anemia
Iron-rich foods are an important part of your daily diet. But which foods you eat influence both how much iron you get, as well as how easily it is absorbed by your body.
There are two different types of iron in food – heme and non-heme iron.
Meat Sources
Meat, poultry, fish
Plant and Grain Sources
Beans, dried fruit, dark green
leafy vegetables, rice, wheat, oats
- Heme iron is found in various meat sources, like meat, poultry, and fish. This form of iron is most easily absorbed by your body
- Non-heme iron comes from plant and grain sources, like beans, dried fruit, dark green, leafy vegetables, rice, wheat, and oats. These foods are an important part of a well-balanced diet, but this form of iron isn’t absorbed as completely
- Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron, which is why foods like tomatoes, citrus fruits, and red, yellow, and orange peppers are an important part of your diet
- Alcohol has the opposite effect and may reduce the body’s ability to make red blood cells and may shorten red blood cell lifespan
The information on this website should not take the place of talking with your doctor or healthcare professional.
If you have any questions about your condition, or if you want more information about IDA or Injectafer,
talk to your doctor. Only your doctor can decide if Injectafer is right for you.
Injectafer® (ferric carboxymaltose injection) is available by prescription only. Ask your healthcare provider if Injectafer is right for you.
What is Injectafer?
Injectafer is a prescription iron replacement medicine administered only by or under the supervision of your healthcare provider. Injectafer is injected into your vein to treat iron deficiency anemia in adults and children 1 year of age and older. Injectafer should be used only if you have not responded well to treatment with oral iron, or if you are intolerant to oral iron treatment. It is also used to treat iron deficiency anemia in adults with chronic kidney disease who are not receiving dialysis. Injectafer is used to improve the ability to exercise (exercise capacity) in adult patients with iron deficiency and mild to moderate heart failure. It is not known if Injectafer is safe and effective in children with iron deficiency anemia who are under 1 year of age or in children with iron deficiency and mild to moderate heart failure to improve exercise capacity.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Who should not receive Injectafer?
You should not receive Injectafer if you are allergic to ferric carboxymaltose or any of the other ingredients in Injectafer. The active ingredient in Injectafer is ferric carboxymaltose, the inactive ingredients are: water for injection, sodium hydroxide or hydrochloric acid.
What should I tell my doctor or healthcare provider before receiving Injectafer?
Before you receive Injectafer, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
- Have had an allergic reaction to iron given into your vein
- Have a history of trouble absorbing certain vitamins or phosphate in your body
- Have inflammatory bowel disease
- Have hyperparathyroidism
- Have low vitamin D levels
- Have high blood pressure
- Have previously received Injectafer
- Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Injectafer may harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant or think you are pregnant during treatment with Injectafer
- Are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Injectafer passes into your breast milk. It is not known if Injectafer will harm your baby. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby during treatment with Injectafer
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medications you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
How will I receive Injectafer?
Injectafer is given into your vein (intravenously) by your healthcare provider in 2 doses at least 7 days apart. For certain patients with heart failure, 2 doses may need to be given 6 weeks apart. If your healthcare provider decides it is right for you, Injectafer may be given intravenously by your healthcare provider as a single-dose treatment. Injectafer treatment may be repeated if your healthcare provider decides it is needed.
What are the possible side effects of Injectafer?
Injectafer may cause serious side effects, including:
- Allergic reactions. Serious life-threatening allergic reactions that can lead to death have happened in people who receive Injectafer and may include the following signs or symptoms: low blood pressure, feeling dizzy or lightheaded, loss of consciousness, trouble breathing, swelling, fast heartbeat, cold or clammy skin, feet or hands turn blue, itching, rash, hives, and/or wheezing. Your healthcare provider will watch you during and for at least 30 minutes after you receive Injectafer. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you develop any signs or symptoms of allergic reactions during or after treatment with Injectafer
- Symptoms of low blood phosphate levels. Injectafer may cause low levels of phosphate in your blood that may be serious and can lead to softening of your bones and broken bones (fractures), especially in people who have received multiple Injectafer treatments. Your healthcare provider may check your blood phosphate levels before a repeat treatment with Injectafer if you are at risk for low blood phosphate levels. If a repeat treatment is needed within 3 months of your last treatment, your healthcare provider should check your blood phosphate levels. Tell your healthcare provider if you develop any of the following signs or symptoms of low blood phosphate levels during treatment with Injectafer: feeling very tired, muscle weakness or pain, bone or joint pain, broken bones
- High blood pressure. High blood pressure, sometimes with redness and warmth of the face (facial flushing), dizziness, or nausea, has happened during treatment with Injectafer. Your healthcare provider will check your blood pressure and check for any signs and symptoms of high blood pressure after you receive Injectafer
The most common side effects of Injectafer include:
- In adults: nausea, high blood pressure, flushing, injection site reactions, skin redness, low levels of phosphate in your blood, and dizziness.
- In children: low levels of phosphate in your blood, injection site reactions, rash, headache, and vomiting
These are not all of the possible side effects of Injectafer.
Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
General information about the safe and effective use of Injectafer
Medicines are sometimes prescribed for purposes other than those listed in a Patient Information leaflet. You can ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider for information about Injectafer that is written for health professionals.
To report side effects, contact American Regent at 1-800-734-9236 or E-mail: pv@americanregent.com or Fax: 1-610-650-0170.
You may also report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-332-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
The risk information provided here is not comprehensive. To learn more about Injectafer, talk with your healthcare provider or pharmacist. The FDA-approved product labeling can be found at www.injectafer.com/pdf/pi.pdf or call 1-800-645-1706.
Please see Full Prescribing Information for Injectafer.