Treating high levels of iron in the blood
The first stage of acute iron poisoning treatment aims to rid the body of any problems resulting from this poisoning, such as breathing problems and blood pressure changes. Depending on the level of poisoning, the appropriate treatment may be to rid the body of excess iron, by: Whole bowel irrigation and chelation therapy, which aim to get rid of excess iron as quickly as possible, and reduce its toxic effects on the body. It is worth noting that some people who suffer from high levels of iron in They may need to be admitted to the hospital to get breathing support or monitor the performance of the heart. Below is an explanation of the methods used to treat high iron levels in the blood:
- Complete bowel washing: This treatment helps to expel iron quickly through the stomach and intestines, and it is done by swallowing a special solution, or introducing this solution into the digestive system through a tube from the nose to the stomach, and it is worth noting that x-rays have the ability to track iron tablets as they move through the digestive system .
- Chelation therapy: This treatment also gets rid of toxic substances quickly before they cause damage to the body, and this is done by injecting a chemical solution into the bloodstream; This solution binds with toxic excess metals and removes them from the body through urine.
Effects of excess iron in the blood
Iron poisoning usually occurs when large amounts of iron-containing pills, or some types of vitamin pills, are swallowed. Acute iron poisoning often occurs in children under the age of 6 years. As these children cannot explain the type and amount of pills they swallowed.Among the first signs of iron poisoning: nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dehydration, and in some cases vomiting of blood may occur, and as a result of too much iron, the color of the stool may turn black or bloody, and these symptoms develop within six hours, and after that these symptoms may improve. Within one day, these initial symptoms may develop into serious complications within 48 hours after the iron overdose, and these symptoms include:
- dizziness;
- Low blood pressure and fast or weak pulse.
- Headache.
- fever.
- Shortness of breath and fluid in the lungs.
- The skin turns gray or blue.
- jaundice; It is a yellowing of the skin color due to liver disease.
- convulsive seizures
The maximum allowable amount of iron
The table below shows the maximum permissible limit for iron in foods and nutritional supplements, and the doctor may prescribe a dose higher than the permissible limit for a certain period for people who suffer from iron deficiency.
| the age | daily upper limit (milligrams) |
|---|---|
| From birth to 13 years old | 40 |
| Persons 14 and over | 45 |
The importance of iron
Iron is important for the health of the body, as it has many important functions, as it is a component part of the hemoglobin protein that transports oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body, and it also helps the muscles to store oxygen as well, in addition to being part of many enzymes and hormones.
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