Understanding Blood Transfusions in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) Treatment
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For individuals diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), blood transfusions play a crucial role in their treatment journey. Here's what you need to know about these essential procedures.
The Transfusion Process
Blood transfusions typically take place in a hospital or outpatient clinic, with a healthcare professional inserting a needle into a person's vein. The blood travels into the person's bloodstream through an IV line, replacing missing or damaged blood components. Pre-transfusion testing, such as cross-matching, is conducted to ensure the donor's blood type matches the recipient's.
Common Transfusions for AML Patients
The most common types of blood transfusions for people with AML include red blood cell (RBC) transfusions and platelet transfusions.
Red Blood Cell (RBC) Transfusions are given to alleviate symptoms such as fatigue and shortness of breath and to maintain adequate hemoglobin levels during treatment. AML causes bone marrow failure and anemia, resulting in low hemoglobin and oxygen-carrying capacity.
Platelet Transfusions are administered to prevent or control bleeding episodes in AML patients. The disease often results in thrombocytopenia (low platelet count), increasing the bleeding risk.
Supportive Care
The main purpose of these transfusions is supportive care to improve quality of life and reduce complications. Transfusions are especially critical during intensive chemotherapy and for patients with severe cytopenias to manage anemia and prevent bleeding. Transfusion dependency can worsen patient outcomes and quality of life.
Potential Risks and Side Effects
While blood transfusions are essential, they do carry risks such as fever, rash or hives, back pain, nausea, chills, shortness of breath, a drop in blood pressure, dark or red urine, transfusion reaction, allergic reaction, infection, iron overload, clotting, transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI), transfusion-associated circulatory overload (TACO), and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).
In conclusion, red blood cell transfusions are used to treat anemia, while platelet transfusions are used to prevent bleeding in AML patients during disease progression and treatment. It's important to follow the healthcare team's instructions regarding aftercare, which typically includes drinking plenty of fluids, resting, and monitoring for any symptoms of a transfusion reaction.
For more information about Acute Myeloid Leukemia, please visit here. Informed consent from the person or their legal guardian is obtained before each transfusion, and the person's medical history, including any previous transfusion reactions or allergies, is reviewed. The healthcare team verifies the blood types of both the recipient and the donor before a blood transfusion. The risk of complications from blood transfusions is very low.
Blood transfusions, an essential part of the treatment for Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), play a significant role in managing medical conditions such as anemia and preventing bleeding episodes. They involve the donation of blood components, like red blood cells (RBCs) and platelets, which are transfused during a medical procedure. The science behind blood transfusions is crucial in supporting the health-and-wellness of AML patients, particularly during intensive chemotherapy and for those with severe cytopenias. However, despite their benefits, transfusions can come with risks and side effects, such as fever, transfusion reaction, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), and others. Informed consent is always obtained before each transfusion, considering the recipient's medical history and blood type compatibility.
