AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Prevention therapy: The primary goal of chelation therapy is to maintain safe levels of body iron at all times, by balancing iron intake from blood transfusion with iron excretion by chelation (iron balance).

Detailed explanation-2: -Deferoxamine (Desferal) is used for chelation of iron in both acute and chronic toxicity.

Detailed explanation-3: -Iron chelating agents have two functions: first, to tightly bind iron and prevent it acting as a catalyst for redox reactions; and second, to allow iron to be transported and then excreted from the body.

Detailed explanation-4: -Treatment / Management Prophylactic iron chelation therapy should be initiated before clinically significant iron overload occurs. Phlebotomy is not usually done as most of the patients are already anemic. Traditionally after 15 to 20 units of blood transfusions, an iron-chelating agent is initiated.