Deferoxamine Brand Name– Desferal
What is Deferoxamine
Deferoxamine is an iron-chelating agent used in the treatment of acute iron intoxication and chronic iron overload secondary to multiple RBC transfusions (i.e., transfusional iron overload) in patients requiring multiple RBC transfusions such as those with thalassemia, sickle cell anemia, or other chronic anemias.
Initially produced as a ferric compound, the drug has the iron component chemically removed, resulting in an iron-free ligand. This ligand is then used to bind excess ferric ions in cases of iron poisoning or iron overload associated with transfusion-dependent anemia.
Deferoxamine can be used to remove iron in patients with primary hemochromatosis, but phlebotomy is generally preferred for this condition. Deferoxamine also chelates aluminum and increases its renal clearance, and the drug can be used as a diagnostic test for aluminum overload.
Deferoxamine was approved by the FDA in 1968.
Indications
- aluminum toxicity
- iron toxicity
- transfusional iron overload
For the treatment iron toxicity
for adjunctive therapy in acute iron toxicity
Side Effects
- abdominal pain
- acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
- anaphylactic shock
- angioedema
- arthralgia
- blurred vision
- cataracts
- corneal opacification
- cyanosis
- diarrhea
- dizziness
- dyspnea
- dysuria
- elevated hepatic enzymes
- encephalopathy
- erythema
- fever
- flushing
- growth inhibition
- headache
- hearing loss
- hypocalcemia
- hypotension
- infection
- injection site reaction
- leukopenia
- myalgia
- nausea
- night blindness
- optic neuritis
- paresthesias
- peripheral neuropathy
- pruritus
- rash
- renal failure (unspecified)
- retinopathy
- scotomata
- seizures
- sinus tachycardia
- thrombocytopenia
- tinnitus
- urticaria
- visual impairment
- vomiting
Monitoring Parameters
- audiometry
- ophthalmologic exam
- serum creatinine/BUN
Contraindications
- anuria
- breast-feeding
- children
- driving or operating machinery
- geriatric
- growth inhibition
- hearing impairment
- heart failure
- hemochromatosis
- hepatic disease
- infants
- infection
- intravenous administration
- ocular disease
- pregnancy
- pyelonephritis
- radiographic contrast administration
- renal disease
- renal failure
- shock
- visual disturbance
Interactions
- Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin C
- Cyclosporine
- Deferasirox
- Deferiprone
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone Acetate; Ferrous fumarate
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone; Ferrous fumarate
- Iron
- Iron – Injectable Only
- Iron Salts
- Polysaccharide-Iron Complex
- Prochlorperazine
- Sodium Ferric Gluconate Complex; ferric pyrophosphate citrate
- Vigabatrin