Alert the patient to the signs and symptoms of hypervitaminosis.Hyper-
vitaminosis A causes nausea, vomiting, headache, loss of hair, and cracked lips.
Hypervitaminosis D causes anorexia, nausea, and vomiting.
The nurse should evaluate the patient for proper dietary intake and determine if
vitamin therapy is having a therapeutic effect.Minerals
Minerals are inorganic compounds that are required by the body for metabolism
and to form bones and teeth. Minerals are extracted from ingested food such
as meats, eggs, vegetables, and fruits. There are five minerals that are critical to
maintain a healthy body.Iron
Iron (ferrous sulfate, gluconate, or fumarate) is used for the regeneration of
hemoglobin. Iron deficiency causes anemia. The patient requires 5 to 20 mg of iron
each day from eating liver, lean meats, egg yolks, dried beans, green vegetables
(such as spinach), and fruit.(^150) CHAPTER 9 Vitamins and Minerals
Dose Adult 50 mg/day
Infant and child dose of iron, ages 6 months to 2 years old is
1.5/mg/kg
Ferrous sulfate for therapeutic use 600 to 1200 mg/day in
divided doses
Maintenance Ferrous sulfate for prophylactic use is 300 to 325 mg/day
Pregnancy category A; PB =UK t^1 / 2 : UK
Treatment Given to correct or control iron-deficiency anemia
Side effects GI discomfort, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, epigas-
tricpain, elixir may stain teeth
Adverse reactions Pallor, drowsiness.
Life threatening: cardiovascular collapse, metabolic acidosis
Contraindications Avoid a megadose in the first trimester because it might cause
birth defects.
PB=Protein-binding UK =unknown t^1 ⁄ 2 =^1 ⁄ 2 life
Iron