PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Hoeltge, Gerald A.
AU  - Sharp, David E.
TI  - Explaining the risks of blood transfusion to patients
DP  - 1990 Jun 01
TA  - Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine
PG  - 396--398
VI  - 57
IP  - 4
4099  - http://www.ccjm.org/content/57/4/396.short
4100  - http://www.ccjm.org/content/57/4/396.full
SO  - Cleve Clin J Med1990 Jun 01; 57
AB  - Many patients express concern about the risk of an infection from blood transfusion. Blood transfusion is one of the safest therapies available, but its risks should never be trivialized when talking with patients. The most common infectious complication is hepatitis C, which occurs in 2% to 4% of transfused patients. Hepatitis B occurs in fewer than 1% of such patients. The risk of HIV infection from a blood transfusion is less than 1 in 100,000 in the United States. Explanation of risks is most effective when comparisons are meaningful and phrased from the patient’s point of view.