ERYTHROPOIETIN

Course overview

ERYTHROPOIETIN (EPO) IS A GLYCOPROTEIN HORMONE, NATURALLY PRODUCED BY THE PERITUBULAR CELLS OF THE KIDNEY, THAT STIMULATES RED BLOOD CELL PRODUCTION. RENAL CORTEX PERITUBULAR CELLS PRODUCE MOST EPO IN THE HUMAN BODY. PO2 DIRECTLY REGULATES EPO PRODUCTION. THE LOWER THE PO2, THE GREATER THE PRODUCTION OF EPO. ERYTHROPOIETIN STIMULATING AGENTS (ESAS) ARE RECOMBINANT VERSIONS OF EPO PRODUCED PHARMACOLOGICALLY. EXAMPLES OF ESAS ARE EPOETIN, DARBEPOETIN, AND METHOXY POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL-EPOETIN BETA. ESAS ARE GENERALLY INDICATED IN CONDITIONS WHERE THERE IS IMPAIRED RED BLOOD CELL PRODUCTION. THIS ACTIVITY WILL HIGHLIGHT THE MECHANISM OF ACTION, ADVERSE EVENT PROFILE, PHARMACOLOGY, MONITORING, AND RELEVANT INTERACTIONS OF ESAS IN LIGHT OF THE NATURAL PHYSIOLOGY OF ERYTHROPOIETIN, PERTINENT FOR MEMBERS OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH CONDITIONS WHERE THESE AGENTS ARE INDICATED.