Contents

Disclaimer

Oxford University Press makes no representation, express or implied, that the drug dosages in this book are correct. Readers must therefore always check the product information and clinical procedures with the most up to date published product information and data sheets provided by the manufacturers and the most recent codes of conduct and safety regulations. The authors and the publishers do not accept responsibility or legal liability for any errors in the text or for the misuse or misapplication of material in this work. Except where otherwise stated, drug dosages and recommendations are for the non-pregnant adult who is not breastfeeding.

Show Summary Details
Page of

Pathophysiology and management of anaemia in the critically ill 

Pathophysiology and management of anaemia in the critically ill
Chapter:
Pathophysiology and management of anaemia in the critically ill
Author(s):

Timothy Walsh

DOI:
10.1093/med/9780199600830.003.0273
Page of

PRINTED FROM OXFORD MEDICINE ONLINE (www.oxfordmedicine.com). © Oxford University Press, 2021. All Rights Reserved. Under the terms of the licence agreement, an individual user may print out a PDF of a single chapter of a title in Oxford Medicine Online for personal use (for details see Privacy Policy and Legal Notice).

date: 26 February 2021

Anaemia is prevalent among the critically ill, with a multifactorial aetiology including haemodilution, iatrogenic blood loss, a reduced red cell lifespan, and especially decreased erythropoiesis. Acute inflammation probably has a major contribution to critical illness-induced anaemia, resulting in reduced iron absorption, sequestration of iron resulting in functional iron deficiency, relative erythropoietin deficiency, and impaired marrow red cell maturation. Anaemia during critical illness resembles the anaemia of chronic inflammatory disease, and probably results from similar pathophysiological processes. Current evidence does not support pharmacological manipulation of this process with iron or erythropoietin. Management should focus on minimization of blood loss and evidence-based use of red cells to maintain haemoglobin level.

Access to the complete content on Oxford Medicine Online requires a subscription or purchase. Public users are able to search the site and view the abstracts for each book and chapter without a subscription.

Please subscribe or login to access full text content.

If you have purchased a print title that contains an access token, please see the token for information about how to register your code.

For questions on access or troubleshooting, please check our FAQs, and if you can't find the answer there, please contact us.