The nurse practitioner (NP) cares for a 25-year-old client with thalassemia who regularly receives blood transfusions every two to three weeks. Review the laboratory results and answer the question that follows.
Laboratory Results
Date/Time, Lab oratory Result , Normal Values , Results
02/23/20XX1145, White Blood Cells (WBCs) , 4,000–10,000 mm³ , 7,200 mm³
Red Blood Cells (RBCs) , 4.2–5.9 cells/L , 3.5 cells/L
Hemoglobin (Hgb) , 12.0–17.0 g/dL , 8.2 g/dL
Hematocrit (Hct) , 36–51% , 25.5%
Platelets , 150,000–350,000 mm³ , 220,000 mm³
MVC , 80–100 fL , 70 fL
MCHC , 32–36 g/dL , 30 g/dL
Ferritin , 30–400 ng/mL , 1200 ng/mL
Which of the following medications should the NP prescribe?
Folic acid
Vitamin B-12
Epoetin alfa
Deferasirox