Transfusion
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Transfusion guidelines recommend that clinicians assess patients for signs and symptoms of anemia before the transfusion of RBCs. However, studies of signs and symptoms associated with acute isovolemic anemia are limited. The objective of this study was to determine whether acute reduction of Hb concentration to 5 g per dL would result in fatigue, tachycardia, or hypotension in resting, young, healthy, isovolemic humans, and whether changes were reversible with RBC transfusion. ⋯ In resting, young, healthy humans, acute isovolemic anemia to Hb levels of 7, 6, and 5 g per dL results in decreased self-scored energy levels and in an increase in heart rate but not in hypotension. Changes in energy and heart rate are reversible with the transfusion of autologous RBCs.