Clinical Presentation
So, what are the suspicious things? What are the things which, when seen, should make you think about the possibility of a transfusion reaction?
I've listed a few things below which are clues, but I would like to warn you that lists like this are only words on paper (or on your computer monitor in this case), and clinical impressions are important. Several of the signs or symptoms listed are so important that I have singled them out for additional comment (click the hypertext links to find out more).
Clinical Signs & Symptoms
- Fever +/- chills
- Hypotension/Shock
- Unexplained bleeding/DIC
- Rigors
- Back pain
- Dyspnea
- GI Distress
- Vague feeling of "unease"
After you've checked out all of these you are interested in, it's time to move on to discover what to actually do about a possible reaction. Let's move on and discuss the transfusion reaction workup.