Anemia Drugs Practice Flashcards

This set covers medications for anemia, including erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, oral and parenteral iron preparations, folic acid, and Vitamin B12, along with key safety warnings and diagnostic cell appearances.

Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agents (ESAs)

A drug class including epoetin alfa, biosimilar epoetin, and darbepoetin alfa that stimulates bone marrow progenitor cells to produce more red blood cells.

ESA Target Hemoglobin (Hgb) Levels

The levels at which treatment should not be pushed higher: $11\,g/dL$ for dialysis patients and $10\,g/dL$ for non-dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients.

ESA Black Box Warning

A warning regarding an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, death, and tumor growth if hemoglobin ($Hgb$) levels go too high.

Ferrous fumarate

An oral iron salt containing $33\%$ elemental iron, which is the highest concentration among common oral iron salts.

Ferrous sulfate

An oral iron salt containing $20\%$ elemental iron.

Ferric gluconate (oral)

An oral iron salt containing $12\%$ elemental iron.

Microcytic, hypochromic

The appearance of red blood cells (small and pale) typically seen in iron-deficiency anemia.

Iron Drug Interactions

Absorption is increased by vitamin C (ascorbic acid) but decreased by antacids, calcium, or milk.

Iron Dextran (INFeD, Dexferrum)

An intravenous iron preparation that requires a $25\,mg$ test dose due to a $0.3\%$ risk of anaphylaxis.

Ferumoxytol (Feraheme)

A parenteral iron drug that can be administered as an undiluted IV push over $1\,minute$.

Iron Toxicity Threshold

Serum iron levels greater than $300\,mcg/dL$ indicate a high risk for toxicity.

Deferoxamine

The classic antidote and chelating agent used for the treatment of acute iron overdose.

Folic Acid (Vitamin B9)

A vitamin used for folate-deficiency (megaloblastic) anemia and the prevention of neural tube defects.

Macrocytic, normochromic

The appearance of red blood cells (large but normal color) characteristic of folic acid or Vitamin $B12$ deficiency.

Masking of B12 Deficiency

The phenomenon where giving folic acid corrects the blood count but allows the neurologic damage from undiagnosed pernicious anemia to progress.

Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12)

A drug used to treat pernicious anemia and other megaloblastic anemias; often given via deep IM injection to bypass absorption issues.

Intrinsic Factor

A stomach glycoprotein required for the absorption of Vitamin $B12$; its absence leads to pernicious anemia.

Deferiprone

A drug approved by the FDA in 2011 for use in treating chronic iron overload.