Premium
Appropriateness of Iron Prescribing: A Retrospective Study
Author(s) -
Abernathy Karen A.,
Meuleman John R.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
pharmacotherapy: the journal of human pharmacology and drug therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.227
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1875-9114
pISSN - 0277-0008
DOI - 10.1002/j.1875-9114.1996.tb02982.x
Subject(s) - medicine , medical prescription , iron deficiency , iron deficiency anemia , anemia , medical record , ferritin , intravenous iron , pediatrics , serum iron , retrospective cohort study , intensive care medicine , surgery , nursing
We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 120 patients who received an initial prescription of iron from a resident physician in internal medicine to determine how accurately house officers diagnose iron‐deficiency anemia before initiating iron therapy. Each patient's laboratory records were reviewed for the 3‐month period before the prescription. Of the 120 patients, 77 (64%) did not have any iron tests performed to aid in the diagnosis of iron‐deficiency anemia. Forty‐three percent of those who had iron tests did not have the disorder by our criteria. Ferritin levels and iron profiles are often not measured in patients prescribed iron, and when they are, they are frequently misinterpreted by medical house officers. This can lead to inappropriate gastrointestinal procedures as well as inappropriate prescribing of iron.