Transfusion in the Intensive Care Unit

• Offers practical guidelines for transfusion tailored to specific ICU patient populations
• Summarizes results from clinical trials performed in the past decade which have studied transfusion triggers for red blood cells, plasma, and platelets in the ICU
• Provides background on the pathophysiology of anemia in the critically ill, the tolerance of specific patient groups to anemia and the purpose of red blood cell transfusion

 

Due to a high incidence of anemia, critically ill patients are frequently transfused, with up to 40% of patients receiving a transfusion during their stay in the Intensive Care Unit. It has become increasingly clear that there is an association between transfusion and adverse outcomes, underlining the need for a careful assessment of the risks and benefits of a blood transfusion. In the last decade, there have been several large clinical trials that have studied red blood cell transfusion triggers in various ICU patient populations, allowing us to take a personalized approach to transfusion. Moreover, ICU patients often suffer from coagulopathy. Recent studies have addressed the effectiveness of fresh frozen plasma and platelets to prevent or treat bleeding. Aiming at a personalized therapy approach in transfusion practice, this book is the first to offer a comprehensive summary of transfusion triggers for red blood cells in specific ICU patient populations and specific conditions. In addition, it discusses evidence for triggers for plasma and platelets and outlines the most common adverse effects of transfusion in the ICU. Transfusion in the Intensive Care Unit is a practical handbook that can be used in everyday practice to guide transfusion and thus will serve as a valuable resource for physicians, fellows and residents working in Intensive Care, Anesthesiology and Cardiac Surgery.