Iron is used as a pediatric or prenatal vitamin supplement and for treatment of anemia. Iron is particularly tempting to young children, as it appears similar to candy. Iron toxicity can be divided into 2 categories, corrosive and cellular.
Iron acts on the mucosal tissues and manifests as hematemesis and diarrhea.
Patients may become hypovolemic due to fluid and blood loss. The absorption of excessive quantities of ingested iron will result in systemic iron toxicity. Severe overdose causes impaired oxidative phosphorylation and mitochondrial dysfunction, which can result in cellular death. One of the most affected organs is the liver, but other organs, such as the heart, kidneys, lungs and the hematologic systems may be impaired. When the intoxication is severe, a hemorrhagic component is seen in conjunction with gastroenteritis.