First line treatments to reduce risk of anaemia/iron deficiency
Advice for cardiology healthcare professionals: management of abnormal uterine bleeding in women with heart disease
Warning
- Ensure up to date haemoglobin and ferritin results are available. First line medical treatments should be offered to those with heavy or frequent menstrual bleeding who are at risk of/or have, iron deficiency or iron deficiency anaemia and include non-hormonal and hormonal medications (First line treatment options to reduce risk of anaemia in patients with AUB and heart disease whilst awaiting further investigations).
- The Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH) Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use (UKMEC) guidelines (Summary of UKMEC risk categories for use of contraception) can be used to guide risk profile when choosing contraception (FSRH, 2016). Some hormone contraceptives can also be used as medical management to reduce risk of anaemia in AUB and therefore UKMEC guidelines may be helpful in determining risk profile with use of these medications, although not created for this purpose. A summary of these considerations can be found in First line treatment options to reduce risk of anaemia in patients with AUB and heart disease whilst awaiting further investigations. For each of the personal characteristics or medical conditions considered by the UKMEC a Category 1, 2, 3 or 4 is given, defined in Summary of UKMEC risk categories for use of contraception.
