Hemodynamic Effects of Blood Transfusion in Chronic Anemia

IN patients with severe chronic anemia, whether or not it is amenable to treatment with specific therapy, the administration of blood transfusions is often necessary to provide immediate symptomatic improvement and to prevent potential irreversible anoxic damage to tissues. The slow administration of packed red blood cells with the patient in a semiupright position is often well tolerated. Not infrequently, however, congestive heart failure may supervene during or after the transfusion.2 , 3 The hematology literature is replete with caution against transfusion, especially in patients with pernicious anemia, and a number of fatal cases have been observed with pulmonary edema found at . . .