The demand for blood in Germany has fallen in the last few years, but the demographic change prepares the blood banks continue to Ensure. In Germany, it might be soon enough young donors to provide an increasing number of older people, warn experts from the German society for transfusion medicine.
In Germany were carried out in the last year 3.4 million transfusions with allogeneic blood. This is almost a quarter less than ten years ago. "The decrease is mainly due to the more stringent rules for blood transfusions for surgeries, cancer and heart disease as well as gastro-intestinal bleeding back.", Professor Dr. med says. Andreas Greinacher, head of the Department of transfusion medicine at the Institute for immunology and transfusion medicine, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald. Previously, the patients received transfusions when the hemoglobin had fallen in value to below 10 g/dl. This value is much lower than the Norm. "However, studies have shown that the patient’s chances of Survival are poor, if the hemoglobin is not wird" value raised to be strong;, Greinacher said. Another reason for the decline in the need for the more economical handling of the blood in many hospitals.
Nevertheless, one should not be deceived, he warns. The most units of blood will be needed by people over 65. Among the most active blood donors, the birth of strong vintages from 1955 to 1965. In the next few years, this " exactly;Baby Boomer" in an age where you need more units of blood. "So, while this group is from the donor to the recipient, we have an already significant shortage in terms of the "nachwachsende" Donor generation after 1989 Born – especially in the new länder. Because after the turn of the century the birth rate by 50 per cent gefallen", Greinacher said.
Also, Professor Dr. med. Hermann Eichler, Chairman of the German society for transfusion medicine (DGTI), expected for the next few years, bottlenecks. "We are in urgent need of a nationwide Monitoring to determine where blood is needed and where further potential savings bestehen", he says. The blood banks would have to be put in the situation, the need for better estimate. Then will also get into difficult situations, each Patient in Germany, the blood transfusions that he needed. In Parallel, it is important for the blood donations advertise, especially in younger people.
DGTI/NK
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