Article - April 2013 - Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants - Managing severe anemia when the patient is a Jehovah's Witness

by jwleaks 2 Replies latest watchtower medical

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  jwleaks

  Managing severe anemia when the patient is a Jehovah's Witness

  TEACHING POINTS

  ¦ Severe anemia in a patient who will not accept blood products presents a significant challenge for the health care team. As health care providers, we must be aware of these patients' wishes and have plans in place to provide care from the time of admission to the day of discharge.

  ¦ Jehovah's Witnesses will refuse all major blood fractions, including whole blood, packed RBCs, plasma, and platelets. Minor fractions are allowed and the decision to accept or refuse these fractions is a personal one made by each Witness.

  ¦ The goals of anemia management include cessation of blood loss, meticulous conservation of blood, optimizing hematopoiesis, and assessing the patient's physiologic tolerance of anemia.

  ¦ Profound anemia with a hemoglobin level of 2.6 g/dL is survivable without a blood transfusion.

  ¦ A conservative dosing regimen of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents can be effective in increasing the hemoglobin level of severely anemic patients.

  ... continued

  http://www.jaapa.com/managing-severe-anemia-when-the-patient-is-a-jehovahs-witness/article/289099/
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  jgnat

  One healtlhy young male climbs from the brink of death without a blood transfusion.
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  LisaRose

  My ex husband had Crohn's disease, he had two episodes of severe internal bleeding, his hgb was down to three, almost as low as this guy. He refused a transfusion, although he had been disfellowshipped for twenty years. He survived, but had a very long recuperation. I guess the dubs make guinea pigs, as the are willing to put ther own life in jeopardy by refusing blood, letting the doctors experiment with bloodless options.