Final answer:
IV iron should be closely monitored because it can cause serious complications such as allergic reactions, hypotension, and iron overload, which leads to abnormal iron metabolism and potential tissue damage, particularly in the liver.
Step-by-step explanation:
Monitoring IV Iron Administration
Administration of IV iron should be closely monitored because it can cause allergic reactions, hypotension, and lead to iron overload. Allergic reactions can range from mild to severe anaphylaxis. Hypotension, or low blood pressure, can also occur and is an acute reaction that needs immediate attention. Moreover, iron overload, or hypersiderosis, can happen when intravenous iron exceeds the body's storage capacities in the form of ferritin and hemosiderin. When this capacity is exceeded, iron begins to accumulate, particularly in the liver as hemosiderin, leading to abnormal iron metabolism and potential tissue damage.
Iron is vital for transporting oxygen to tissues and is involved in many cellular processes. However, excess intravenous iron can disrupt normal iron metabolism, causing a range of problems including the abnormal deposition of iron-containing pigments in tissues. This situation is exacerbated in conditions like haemochromatosis, a hereditary disease that causes iron accumulation, eventually causing liver damage and other complications.