iron dextran

Iron dextran is an intravenous or intramuscular iron replacement medication used to treat iron deficiency anemia in patients for whom oral iron is ineffective or intolerable. It consists of a complex of ferric hydroxide and dextran, which is processed by the reticuloendothelial system to release elemental iron. This iron then binds to transferrin and is transported to the bone marrow for incorporation into hemoglobin. Iron dextran is notable for its ability to be administered as a total dose infusion (TDI), allowing for the correction of a patient's entire iron deficit in a single session. However, its use requires a test dose due to the risk of serious anaphylactoid reactions, which were historically more common with high molecular weight formulations.

Brand names

CosmoFerInfedDexferrumImferon

Other names

iron dextran complexlow molecular weight iron dextranLMWIDhigh molecular weight iron dextranHMWID