6 types of anemia can be treated with blood transfusion

For some cases of anemia, doctors give blood transfusions to relieve symptoms. Blood transfusion can quickly alleviate the symptoms of anemia patients, or even completely correct them, but if the indications are not understood, it is likely to cause serious transfusion reactions and even threaten the patient's life. The following 6 types of anemia can be treated with blood transfusion. Let’s learn about them together.

1. Acute onset of hemolytic anemia:

Patients with acute hemolytic anemia have hemoglobin levels that drop rapidly to very low levels, and symptoms of hypoxia are obvious, so they urgently need blood transfusions to alleviate the hypoxic state. Blood transfusions are also needed when aplastic crisis or hemolytic crisis occurs suddenly.

2. Anemia due to hypoplastic bone marrow:

In patients with pure red blood cell aplasia, advanced myelofibrosis, anemia due to chronic renal failure, etc., if the hemoglobin level is below 60-70g/L and is accompanied by symptoms of hypoxia, blood transfusions should be relied upon to increase the hemoglobin level to maintain life.

3. Patients with refractory anemia, etc.:

Blood transfusion is best for patients with leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, myelodysplastic syndrome or refractory anemia when treatment is ineffective and anemia is severe.

4. Severe anemia:

Patients with severe β-thalassemia, severe intermediate β-thalassemia, sickle cell anemia, etc. often have severe anemia and require long-term blood transfusions to maintain life, which suppresses the hematopoietic function of the bone marrow.

5. Acute massive blood loss:

When the amount of blood loss is estimated to exceed 15% of the total body blood volume, blood transfusion should be given. If blood transfusion is not ready, fluid replacement should be given first.

6. Severe bleeding and anemia:

When there is severe bleeding and anemia due to lack of blood coagulation factors or platelets, fresh whole blood transfusion is also needed to supplement red blood cells, coagulation factors and platelets.

Generally speaking, blood transfusion therapy is very effective, but not all anemias can be treated with this method. For mild anemia, blood transfusion is completely unnecessary.