For individuals with iron deficiency anemia or related conditions, intravenous (IV) iron therapy is often prescribed to replenish iron levels quickly and effectively. However, one concern that arises among patients receiving this treatment is whether it causes changes in stool color, particularly black stools. Iron Infusion Iron is one of the minerals in the human body.
If you don't have enough iron, your body can't make hemoglobin, and you may develop anemia. One way of treating anemia is with intravenous iron, or an iron infusion, which is delivered into a vein through a needle to increase the levels of iron and hemoglobin in your body. Skin staining due to extravasation of iron into subcutaneous tissue is a rare but important side effect of intravenous iron infusions.
Infusion site extravasation or skin discolouration occurs at a rate of approximately 1.6%. 8 In this case, the skin staining remained unchanged 2 months later. IV ferric gluconate is an iron infusion that is supposed to be much safer and has far fewer adverse effects compared to older forms of iron infusions.
In a case study by Lewis and Arnouk, a patient who was co-administered cefiderocol and intravenous (IV) ferric gluconate experienced dark red urine discolouration. Intravenous Iron infusions causing dark or black stools doesn't seem logical and yet some people seem to experience that. While I have seen this in my own patients and on online forums anecdotally, I couldn't find any official studies specifically reviewing this.
In my patients I have seen this more commonly with IV Ferrlecit (Iron Gluconate + Sucrose) and sometimes with IV Venofer (Iron. I never had darken stool from IV iron (just oral iron). However, right after the iron infusion my urine would be tinted reddish.
PATIENT INFORMATION SHEET FOR INTRAVENOUS (IV) IRON THERAPY y / FAQ on information about i What does Iron do in the body? Iron is an essential nutrient that provides oxygen and energy to the body. oglobin (Hb), the red pigment which gives blood its colour. Haemog.
Intravenous iron What is intravenous iron? Intravenous (or IV) iron is a dark brown liquid containing iron that is given by injection or infusion (through a drip) into a vein. It is used to treat low iron levels which can be caused by several reasons including iron deficiency anaemia or loss of blood. "Intravenous" or "IV" means giving something directly into the blood stream of the body through a vein.
A needle placed into a vein (usually in the back of the hand or arm) is attached to a drip that contains iron mixed with saline (a sterile salt water solution). This brown fluid is slowly "dripped" (infused) into the vein and mixes with the blood in your body. Iron staining is an unwanted and in some cases permanent adverse effect of intravenous iron administration.
Cosmetically unacceptable staining may cause distress and have psychological implications for the patient There should be a suitable.