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Every two seconds someone requires a blood transfusion. Worldwide, on average, one in seven people who visit the hospital require blood and the availability of the different types of blood donations can save innumerable lives.
Firstly, there are four major human blood groups. These groups were first identified in 1901 by Dr Karl Landsteiner– A, B, AB and O. Each can be positive or negative for the Rh factor. AB is the universal recipient; O negative is the universal donor of red blood cells.
There are three main reasons that prompt a patient’s need to receive blood. Having a condition that affects the way your red blood cells work – such as sickle cell disease
or thalassaemia; having a type of cancer or cancer treatment that can affect blood cells – including leukaemia, chemotherapy, or stem cell transplants; and, of course, severe bleeding – usually from surgery, childbirth, or a serious accident are the top reasons for receiving
chemotherapy, or stem cell transplants; and, of course, severe bleeding – usually from surgery, childbirth, or a serious accident are the top reasons for re blood.
Blood is our body’ super highway, nutrients and oxygen around the body to exactly where it is needed and it carries away metabolic waste to be filtered out and excreted from our system.This life lubricant is made up of blood cells that are suspended in blood plasma.
More than half of the liguid of blood is made up of plasma, which itself is 92 per cent water. The plasma of our blood contains proteins, glucose, mineral ions, hormones, carbon dioxide, and blood cells themselves. Plasma is the main medium for excretory product transportation-it carries away the C02 from our system. The main protein in blood plasma is albumin (not to be confused with egg white albumen). The albumin protein in blood is what regulates c
osmotic pressure (pressure exerted by large molecules which serves to hold water within the vascular space. It is normally created by plasma proteins, namely albumin, that do not diffuse readily across the capillary membrane).
As for the cells of the blood, they are comprised of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Respectively, they are also called RBCs or erythrocytes, WBCs or leukocytes, and thrombocytes. Red blood cells are the most abundant of our blood cells. The red blood cells are filled with haemoglobin, a protein that contains iron, which moves the oxygen around our bodies.
Bright red blood means that it is heavily oxygenated and when it appears very dark red, it means the blood is deoxygenated. A blood transfusion can replace blood you have lost, or just replace the liquid or cells found in blood (such as red blood cells, plasma, or platelets).
The vast majority of our blood is created inside our bones. The soft, fatty tissue inside our bones–the marrow– produces our red, most of our white, and our platelets. T and B white blood cells are produced from our lymph nodes and spleen and T cells are also produced and matured in our thymus gland.
According to the Red Cross, “Type O is routinely in short supply and in high demand by hospitals – both because it is the most common blood type and because type O negative blood is the universal blood type needed for emergency transfusions and for
immune deficient infants.”
There are four main types of blood donation:
Whole Blood Donation-Whole blood is the most flexible type of donation. It can be transfused in its original form, or used to help multiple people when separated int its specific components of red cells, plasma and platelets.
Power Red Donation-Is a concentrated dose of red cells, the part of your blood used every day for those needing transfusions as part o their care. This type of donation uses an automated process that separates your red blood cells from the other blood components, and then safeLy and comfortably returns y and platelets to you.
Platelet Donation-Platelets are most often used by cancer patients and others facing life-threatening illnesses and injuries.
PLasma Donation-Plasma is collected through an automated process that separates plasma from other blood components, then saf and comfortably returns your red blood cells and platelets to you. AB plasma can be given to anyone regardless of their blood type.
The gift of blood is the gift of lif An average adult body has roughly ten pints of blood and a 20-minute donation of one pint of whole blood can save several lives.
