Problem: Responds to my classmates Annie discussion post
There were many facts on the American Red Cross website that came as a surprise to me as it relates to Blood Supply and Blood needs. The statistic that stuck out to me the hardest was that every 2 seconds in the United States someone needs blood or platelets. It's hard to conceptualize thousands upon thousands of people needing blood in a singular country every day. But once I read further about the diseases that consistently require donated blood and the amount of people these diseases impact, I could understand why it is such a constant need. I was surprised to learn that 90-100,000 individuals in the United States carry sickle cell disease and require blood transfusions multiple times a year. These blood transfusions help to minimize the risk of complications by reducing the amount of sickled cells in the body as well as increase the oxygen capacity of the blood (Elendu, 2023). Was also unaware that receiving blood was a prevalent part of chemotherapy treatment, with many requiring blood daily. This really placed into perspective how essential the steady influx of blood supply/donation is in the United States alone. Can't even fathom what the needs are on a global scale!
The life span of both red blood cells and Platelets was also information that came as a surprise to me. I was unaware that Red Blood cells must be used in 42 days or less. This was especially interesting to me after learning that erythrocytes can live up to 120 days in circulation (OpenStax, 2022), . Thus, one would think they could be stored for longer. However, as red blood cells age, the undergo structural and | biochemical shifts that can make them less effective. Therefore, a 42 day shelf life ensures the cells are still safe and functional for transfusion. Need Assignment Help?