Venofer Patient Information

Venofer is a brand name for a prescription injection that contains iron sucrose. Doctors prescribe Venofer for the treatment of anemia in patients with kidney disease.

Function

• Patiens who have kidney deficiencies often develop anemia, which is a shortage of red blood cells. Iron supplements are beneficial to such patients because iron helps carry oxygen throughout the body in a similar way as red blood cells. Iron also serves as a component in new red blood cell production.

Features

• Doctors typically prescribe Venofer for use with an oral erythropoietin supplement, which replaces the red blood cell-forming hormones within your kidneys, according to Drugs.com.

Time Frame

• Depending on the type of kidney disease that you are suffering from, a treatment with Venofer will take between two and 15 minutes, reports RxList.

Risks

• Side effects of Venofer include muscle cramps, weakness, tiredness, dizziness, anxiety, headaches, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhea, constipation, ear pain, sore throat, sinus pain, decreased sense of taste, joint pain and irritation or swelling at the site of your injection. Some patients experience low blood pressure or allergic reactions from Venofer.

Considerations

• Because Venofer is known to cause fetal abnormalities in laboratory animals, doctors rarely use the iron supplement for pregnant women. If you have low blood pressure, hepatitis or have received many blood transfusions in the past, it may not be safe for you to be treated with Venofer, warns Drugs.com.