Iron Sucrose Dose and Schedule Calculator
Iron Sucrose Dose and Schedule Calculator
Convert a total iron requirement into the number of iron sucrose infusions needed, at the standard 200 mg per session.
Iron Sucrose Dose and Schedule
Total dose → sessionsTotal requirement 1400 mg at 200 mg per session
Formula
- 200 mg
- the conventional maximum single dose of iron sucrose
- frequency
- no more than three sessions per week
- ⌈ ⌉
- rounded up — a partial session still requires a visit
Worked example
Total requirement 1400 mg at 200 mg per session
1400 ÷ 200 = 7
7 infusions, given no more than three times a week
Intravenous iron preparations compared
| Preparation | Max single dose | Typical course |
|---|---|---|
| Iron sucrose | 200 mg | Multiple sessions |
| Ferric carboxymaltose | 1000 mg | 1 – 2 sessions |
| Ferric derisomaltose | 20 mg/kg | 1 session |
| Iron dextran (LMW) | Total dose infusion | 1 session, test dose needed |
When iron sucrose is the right choice
Iron sucrose has the longest safety record of the modern intravenous preparations and remains widely used, particularly in dialysis units where patients attend three times a week anyway and the session limit costs nothing. Its constraint is that ceiling: 200 mg per administration means a 1400 mg deficit takes seven visits.
For an outpatient with a large deficit that is a poor use of everyone’s time, and a preparation allowing 1000 mg or more in a single infusion will usually be preferable. The calculation here makes that trade-off explicit — once the number of sessions climbs past four or five, the case for switching preparation is worth revisiting.
Where iron sucrose retains a clear advantage is in patients who have reacted to a carbohydrate-based preparation, in pregnancy where the safety data are most extensive, and in haemodialysis where small maintenance doses are given routinely with each session rather than as a calculated total. Free iron release is lower than with the older dextrans, and the anaphylaxis risk is very low, though as with all intravenous iron the infusion should be given where resuscitation facilities are available.
Frequently asked questions
How much iron sucrose can be given at once?
200 mg is the conventional maximum single dose, given no more than three times a week. Some units give up to 300 mg over a longer infusion.
How many sessions will a 1000 mg deficit take?
Five, at 200 mg each. If that is impractical, a preparation allowing 1000 mg in one infusion may be a better choice.
Is a test dose needed?
Not for iron sucrose. Test doses were required for the older high-molecular-weight iron dextrans, which are no longer used. All intravenous iron should still be given where resuscitation facilities are available.
When should haemoglobin be rechecked?
Four weeks after the course completes. Ferritin measured sooner is raised by the administered iron and does not reflect stores.
Related calculators
References
- Venofer (iron sucrose) Summary of Product Characteristics.
- KDIGO Clinical Practice Guideline for Anemia in Chronic Kidney Disease.