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Whole Blood
 | After a healthy adult donates about one pint of me, I am usually separated
into components to treat several patients. I am rarely transfused
whole, because most patients don't need all of me. |
Red Cells
| I am given to people who lose blood in accidents or during surgery.
I also help anemic people whose bodies can't make enough red cells. |
Platelets
| I can control bleeding in people who can't make their own platelets; for
example, patients receiving cancer medicine. |
White Cells
| I am given to patients who can't produce enough white cells because of
disease or cancer treatment. I help fight infections. |
Plasma
| Most of the time, I am made into special medicines. Let me introduce
some: |
| ALBUMIN: I am used to treat people in shock. |
| ANTI-HEMOPHILIC FACTOR: Hemophiliacs need me to replace the blood
clotting protein, Factor VII, that's missing in their plasma. |
| IMMUNE GLOBULIN: I am given to people to help fight infectious
diseases, like hepatitis. |
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