Medication Summary
The goals of pharmacotherapy are to reduce morbidity and prevent complications.
Vitamins
Class Summary
To treat a nutritional neuropathy, replacing the deficient nutrients is necessary. This may involve administration of folate, thiamine (vitamin B 1 ), nicotinamide, pyridoxine (vitamin B 6 ), cyanocobalamin (vitamin B 12 ), alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E), vitamin A, or protein.
Thiamine (Thiamilate)
For thiamine deficiency syndromes.
Niacin (Vitamin B 3 )
Source of niacin used in tissue respiration, lipid metabolism, and glycogenolysis.
Cyanocobalamin (Crystamine)
Deoxyadenosylcobalamin and hydroxocobalamin are active forms of vitamin B 12 in humans. Vitamin B 12 synthesized by microbes but not humans or plants. Vitamin B 12 deficiency may result from intrinsic factor deficiency (pernicious anemia), partial or total gastrectomy, or diseases of distal ileum.
Folate (Folvite)
Important cofactor for enzymes used to produce RBCs.
Alpha-tocopherol (Vita-Plus E Softgels, Vitec, Aquasol E)
Protects polyunsaturated fatty acids in membranes from attack by free radicals and protects RBCs against hemolysis.
Multivitamins (MVI-12, Cernevit-12)
Dietary supplement.
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Pernicious anemia. Characteristic lemon-yellow–tinged pallor with raw-beef tongue lacking filiform papillae. Used with permission from Forbes and Jackson.
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Ischemic retinopathy caused by severe megaloblastic anemia.