Which drug class does epoetin alfa (Epogen) belong to?

• A. Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents
• B. ACE inhibitors
• C. Loop diuretics
• D. Calcium channel blockers

Answer: (A)

Epoetin alfa is an erythropoiesis-stimulating agent. It’s a recombinant form of human erythropoietin that acts on the bone marrow to stimulate the production of red blood cells, helping to treat anemia from conditions like chronic kidney disease or chemotherapy. By increasing erythropoiesis, it raises hemoglobin and hematocrit levels. This class is different from drugs that lower blood pressure or manage fluid status, such as ACE inhibitors, loop diuretics, or calcium channel blockers. When using epoetin alfa, clinicians monitor hemoglobin and blood pressure and are mindful of risks like hypertension, thromboembolism, stroke, or rare pure red cell aplasia, and they assess iron status since building new red cells requires iron.