Iron Deficiency Anemia: Prevention

To prevent iron deficiency anemia, attention must be paid to reducing individual risk factors. Behavioral risk factors

  • Diet
    • Unbalanced diet
    • Vegetarian, vegan
    • Micronutrient deficiency (vital substances) – iron; see Prevention with micronutrients.
  • Physical activity
    • Athletes
  • Blood donor

Other risk factors

  • Bloodletting as therapy for other blood disorders

Medication

  • Antiprotozoal
    • Analogue of the azo dye trypan blue (suramin).
    • Pentamidine
  • Chelating agents (D-penicillamine, trieethylenetetramine dihydrochloride (Trien), tetrathiomolybdenum).
  • Direct factor Xa inhibitor (rivaroxaban).
  • Immunosuppressants (thalidomide).
  • Janus kinase inhibitors (ruxolitinib).
  • Monoclonal antibodies – pertuzumab
  • MTOR inhibitors (everolimus, temsirolimus).
  • Neomycin
  • P-aminosalicylic acid (mesalazine)
  • Phenytoin [megaoblastic anemia]
  • Proton pump inhibitors (PPI; acid blockers) – patients on continuous PPI therapy are more often affected by iron deficiency: this depends on duration of therapy and dosage
  • Thrombin inhibitor (dabigatran).
  • Tuberculostatics (isoniazid, INH; rifampicin, RMF).
  • Antivirals