Blood-Product Transfusion and Antithrombotic-Agent Reversal

Abstract

Patients with traumatic and medical emergencies that require the transfusion of blood products are frequent visitors to the Emergency Department. Emergency clinicians must have a robust understanding of the options available to replace various blood components. The ever-increasing number of patients on antithrombotic agents demands facility with approaches to reversing their effects. These topics merge in the care of the patient taking an antithrombotic agent who experiences a hemorrhagic emergency requiring urgent hemostasis and transfusion of components to replace those lost.

Keywords: Anemia; Anticoagulant reversal; Antiplatelet reversal; Antithrombotic reversal; Blood product(s); Plasma; Platelets; Transfusion.