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Transfusion Reaction Essay

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Transfusion Reactions
A transfusion reaction is the body’s systemic response to the administration of blood. Causes for transfusion reactions can include red cell incompatibility; allergic response due to leukocytes, platelets, plasma protein components of transfused blood, or the anticoagulant (potassium or citrate preservatives) used to store the blood, just to name a few. Symptoms, prevention, and treatment will be discussed for the following transfusion reactions: Transfusion Associated Circulatory Overload (TACO), Transfusion-Related Acute Long Injury (TRALI), Hemolytic Transfusion Reactions, Anaphylaxis and Allergic Transfusion Reactions, and Febrile Transfusion Reactions.
Transfusion-Associated Circulatory Overload (TACO) is a reaction that can happen during or shortly after the completion of the transfusion. It is a frequent and often serious. TACO is causes pulmonary edema which mimic’s congestive heart failure. This is due rapidly infusing a large volume transfusion to a patient who is not able to handle the expanded blood volume. Some symptoms of TACO include headache, shortness of breath, and systolic hypertension. In order to prevent this from happening, transfusions to susceptible patients must be carefully administered and monitored. If a patient is at risk for volume overload, only a small amount of the transfused product should be transfused. For treatment, the excess volume must be removed, clinically, by diuresis.
Transfusion-Related Acute Lung Injury

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