How fast can we give blood components? Should Platelets be Transfused Slowly?
Red Blood Cells over 1-2 hours Plasma, platelets, and cryo at 10ml per minute or over 20-30 minutes In a non-urgent situation infuse the first 25ml of blood (proportionately smaller volume for pediatric patients) slowly at no more than 25 drops/minute to allow for recognition of an acute adverse reaction. The remainder of the blood can be infused to adults at a rate of 60-80 ml per hour. Complete the transfusion within two hours unless the patient can tolerate only gradual expansion of the intravascular volume. The infusion time should not exceed 4 hours. Platelets, plasma and cryoprecipitate generally are transfused at a rate of 10 ml per minute. In order for a patient to receive maximum benefit platelets need to be transfused rapidly to get control of bleeding. Transfusion as soon as possible after they are available is optimum since platelet function deteriorates during storage. The recommended rate of infusion is 10mL/min. To assess the effectiveness of the platelet transfusion, a
