Managing raised ferritin in primary care

What you need to knowRaised levels of ferritin can be associated with several serious underlying conditions and should be investigated appropriatelyDetermine whether raised ferritin reflects iron overload or another disease processInitial tests for investigating raised ferritin in primary care are fasting transferrin saturation, full blood count, liver blood tests, and C reactive proteinAssess patients for organ damage associated with iron overload to determine further investigations, management, and whether the patient needs to be referred to secondary careHaemochromatosis is a common genetic condition that can cause iron overload, and primary care clinicians can order HFE gene mutation analysis to diagnose the conditionA 47 year old woman who is pre-menopausal presents to her GP feeling “tired all the time.” She takes thyroxine for hypothyroidism and asks when a dose increase is indicated. She discloses drinking a bottle of wine daily and reports that her sleep is rarely unbroken. You take a blood…
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