Transfused

Transfused is the past participle of transfuse and, in medical usage, describes a patient who has received a transfusion of blood or a blood product from a donor. Transfusion medicine uses donor-derived red blood cells, plasma, platelets, and other components to restore oxygen delivery, coagulation capacity, or platelet function in patients with acute bleeding, anemia, or coagulation disorders.

Common indications include acute blood loss due to surgery or trauma, symptomatic anemia from various causes, or deficiency of coagulation factors. The most frequent product is red blood cells; platelets are given for thrombocytopenia or platelet dysfunction; plasma provides clotting factors; cryoprecipitate targets fibrinogen deficiency. Before administration, compatibility testing—ABO and Rh typing and crossmatching—is performed to minimize reactions. Transfusions are typically guided by clinical assessment and laboratory values, and conservative thresholds are used in some settings.

Safety and monitoring: Blood products are screened for infectious diseases and stored under strict controls. Adverse reactions can range from fever or hives to more serious complications such as transfusion reaction, transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI), transfusion-associated circulatory overload (TACO), alloimmunization, and iron overload with chronic transfusion. Most transfusions are completed without incident, but patients are watched during and after administration for signs of intolerance.

Outcomes and records: The transfused status is documented in the patient’s medical record, along with the product given and response to therapy. In some cases, alternatives to transfusion—such as iron therapy, erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, or antifibrinolytics—are considered to reduce transfusion need.