Phlebotomy Phlebotomy/venesection: routine treatment consists of regularly scheduled phlebotomies (bloodletting or erythrocytapheresis). When first diagnosed, the phlebotomies may be performed every week or fortnight, until<unk>  levels can be brought to within normal range. Once the serum ferritin and transferrin saturation are within the normal range, treatments may be scheduled every two to three months depending upon the rate of reabsorption of<unk> . A phlebotomy session typically draws between 450 and 500 mL of blood. The blood drawn is sometimes donated. Diet A diet low in<unk>  is generally recommended, but has little effect compared to venesection. The human diet contains<unk>  in two forms: heme<unk>  and non-heme<unk> . Heme<unk>  is the most easily absorbed form of<unk> . People with<unk>  may be advised to avoid food that are high in heme<unk> . Highest in heme<unk>  is red meat such as beef, venison, lamb, buffalo, and fish such as bluefin tuna. A strict low-iron diet is usually not necessary. Non-heme<unk>  is not as easily absorbed in the human system and is found in plant-based foods such as grains, beans, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. Medication Medication: For those unable to tolerate routine blood draws, there are chelating agents available for use. The drug deferoxamine binds with<unk>  in the bloodstream and enhances its elimination in urine and faeces. Typical treatment for chronic<unk>  requires subcutaneous injection over a period of 8–12 hours daily. Two newer<unk> -chelating drugs that are licensed for use in patients receiving regular blood transfusions to treat thalassaemia (and, thus, who develop<unk>  as a result) are deferasirox and deferiprone. Chelating polymers A minimally invasive approach to hereditary haemochromatosis treatment is the maintenance therapy with polymeric chelators. These polymers or particles have a negligible or null systemic biological availability and they are designed to form stable complexes with Fe2+ and Fe3+ in the GIT and thus limiting their uptake and long-term accumulation. Although this method has only a limited efficacy, unlike small-molecular chelators, the approach has virtually no side effects in sub-chronic studies. Interestingly, the simultaneous chelation of Fe2+ and Fe3+ increases the treatment efficacy.
Iron overload
Zinc toxicity
Lead poisoning
Iron poisoning
Fluoride toxicity
Copper toxicity
Metal toxicity
Ochronosis