Venofer: An Intravenous Iron Replacement Product
Venofer (iron sucrose) is an intravenous iron replacement medication used to treat iron deficiency anemia in patients with chronic kidney disease—it has absolutely nothing to do with treating influenza ("flu"). 1
What Venofer Is
Venofer is iron sucrose injection, a nanomedicine formulation containing 20 mg/mL of elemental iron that has been used clinically since 1949 2
It is FDA-approved specifically for treating iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), including those on hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and in the predialysis period 1, 3
The medication comes in single-dose vials containing 50 mg/2.5 mL, 100 mg/5 mL, or 200 mg/10 mL 1
Why the Confusion with "Flu"
The term "Venofer flu" appears to be a misunderstanding or conflation of two completely unrelated medical topics 1
Venofer treats iron deficiency, not influenza virus infections 1, 2
For actual influenza treatment, the antiviral drug of choice is oseltamivir (Tamiflu)—not Venofer 3
Clinical Use of Venofer
Venofer is administered intravenously when oral iron supplementation is inadequate or not tolerated 3, 2
In hemodialysis patients, approximately 30% can reach and maintain a target hematocrit of 35% with intravenous iron alone, and when combined with erythropoietin, nearly all anemic predialysis patients can achieve target levels 4
Safe dosing regimens include 200-300 mg administered over 2 hours; doses of 400-500 mg have shown higher rates of adverse events including hypotension, dizziness, and nausea 5
Safety Profile
The most common adverse reactions (≥2%) in adults include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness, hypotension, and injection site reactions 1
Venofer is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to the product 1
Hypersensitivity reactions can occur; patients must be observed for at least 30 minutes after administration, and personnel/therapies for treating serious reactions must be immediately available 1
Over 20,000 infusions in various patient populations showed no anaphylactic reactions when proper protocols were followed 4
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Do not confuse Venofer (iron sucrose for anemia) with antiviral medications for influenza 1, 3
Do not administer Venofer to patients with iron overload; regularly monitor hematologic responses including ferritin and transferrin saturation 1, 3
Do not exceed the 300 mg dose over 2 hours without extending infusion time, as higher doses (400-500 mg) carry increased risk of hypotension and other adverse reactions 5
Do not substitute Venofer with iron sucrose similars without careful consideration, as differences in physicochemical properties of these nanomedicines can affect efficacy and safety 2