Blood transfusion risks in the intensive care unit

This article reviews transfusion risks with particular emphasis on the critically ill. It describes the various types of noninfectious, infectious, and mild-to-severe reactions that can occur in a transfused patient. The article describes differential diagnosis of these reactions and the handling and treatment of the patient. Diagnosis of the type of transfusion reaction by laboratory tests is detailed. Finally, the article discusses the dangers of human error with possible strategies to combat this problem using new technologies.