A 4-year-old is admitted to the emergency room after accidentally ingesting a bottle of her mother's iron supplements 5 hours ago. Which of the following medications can the nurse expect the physician to order?

Explanation

•Deferoxamine is a chelating agent that removes excess iron from the blood stream.

•Activated charcoal is sometimes used during overdoses to prevent absorption by the GI tract. In this patient scenario, the iron is most likely already digested and absorbed.

•Ipecac was once used as a home remedy to induce vomiting in cases of accidental poisoning. The American Academy of Pediatrics now advises against its use.

•Naloxone is for opioid overdose.

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