Regardless of the component being transfused, the transfusion should be done slowly for the first few minutes. If there are no signs of a reaction, the speed can be adjusted to that recommended by the blood component.
Each blood component follows a different speed indicated on the table below. However, it should be emphasised that these recommendations are only valid provided that the recipient does not have a heart problem or is very elderly. In these cases, there is a greater possibility that the patient’s body will show some signs of change which is why the transfusion is done more slowly.
|
Blood Component
|
Average Volume
|
Duration of the Transfusion
|
Speed of the Transfusion
|
|
Erythrocytes
|
200-300 ml
|
60-120 min
|
30-60 drops/minute
|
|
Plasma (Unitary or aphaeresis)
|
200-600 ml
|
20-60 min
|
125-175 drops/minute
|
|
Platelets (mixtures 5 u/ aphaeresis)
|
200-300 ml
|
20-30 min
|
125-225 drops/minute
|
|
|
|
