By Henrylito D. Tacio
On his Facebook timeline, Davao-based Darrell Blatchley posted this: “Did you know donating blood is good not only for the one you donate, but (for) yourself? That’s because donating reduces the thickness of your blood, allowing it to flow more easily through your body and reach your heart faster.”
Blatchley then cited a study which appeared in the American Journal of Epidemiology. It found that “people who donated blood had an 88% lower risk of suffering a heart attack.”
Researchers at the University of Kansas published a study in 1977 with 3,855 participants comparing blood donors and non-donors on several vascular events like heart attack and stroke.
Findings from the study showed only 9.77% of male blood donors suffered from such events, while an alarming 17.72% of non-donors did. “In other words, non-donors were 81% more likely to suffer from cardiovascular events than donors,” wrote Jenny Hills, nutritionist and medical writer for the website of Healthy and Natural World.
Twenty-one years later, in 1998, another research study evaluated the records of the Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study which followed 2,862 Finnish men aged 42-60 years for almost nine years.
After comparing the occurrence of heart attack in blood donors and non-donors, the study found that blood donors reduced their risk of heart attack by 88%. “This percentage is roughly similar to that in the previous study,” Hills wrote. “Female donors, however, were hardly at all heart healthier than female non-donors.”
Other benefits
Another benefit of blood donation: it reduces iron levels for those with hemochromatosis, a condition that causes your body to absorb too much iron from the food you eat.Excess iron can lead to life-threatening conditions, such as liver disease, heart problems and diabetes.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that people with hemochromatosis can benefit from phlebotomy, which is a similar process to donating blood.
“People with this condition are allowed to donate blood. In other words, for those with hemochromatosis, donating blood can be a treatment option as well as a way of helping others,” wrote Rachel Nall for Medical News Today.
Donating blood may also give you better cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The website, WebMd.com, cited one study in which researchers checked levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL (“good”) cholesterol, and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol in 52 people who regularly gave blood and 30 other people who didn’t. “Levels of triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol were all lower in those who regularly gave blood,” the study found.
Most precious gift
“Blood is the most precious gift that anyone can give to another person,” the Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO) explains. “A decision to donate your blood can save a life, or even several if your blood is separated into its components – red cells, platelets and plasma – which can be used individually for patients with specific conditions.”
Safe blood saves lives and improves health. This is done through blood transfusion, a unique technology that blends science with altruism. Though its collection, processing and use are technical, the availability of blood depends entirely on the generosity of the donor who gives a gift of life.
“Many patients requiring transfusion do not have timely access to safe blood,” the WHO points out. “Providing safe and adequate blood should be an integral part of every country’s national health care policy and infrastructure.”
The WHO says blood transfusion is needed for: women with complications of pregnancy, such as ectopic pregnancies and hemorrhage before, during, or after childbirth; children with severe anemia often resulting from malaria or malnutrition; people with severe trauma following man-made and natural disasters; and patients undergoing many other complex medical and surgical procedures resulting in significant blood loss, as well as cancer patients suffering from anemia of malignancy.
Blood is also needed for regular transfusions for people with conditions such thalassaemia and sickle cell disease, and is used to make products such as clotting factors for people with haemophilia. Among the famous people who have this kind of health problem were British actor Richard Burton and Queen Victoria.
“There is a constant need for regular blood supply because blood can be stored for only a limited time before use,” the WHO says. “Regular blood donations by a sufficient number of healthy people are needed to ensure that safe blood will be available whenever and wherever it is needed.”
Unfortunately, blood donation practice in the Philippines is still low despite numerous efforts to recruit potential donors and increase blood supply, according to a study.
Blood donation promotion
The celebrity widely known for her efforts in promoting blood donation in the Philippines is the late former movie actress Rosa Rosal. She helped initiate the programs of Philippine Red Cross that set up bloodletting sessions inside campuses and military camps.
During the coup d’état in 1989, she asked for blood via the airwaves and personally delivered emergency supplies to city hospitals. “I was never afraid. If I have to die, then so be it,” she said.
In 1999, “the original femme fatale of Philippine cinema” was recognized with a Ramon Magsaysay Award – Asia’s Nobel Prize – for public service. She was cited for “her lifetime of unstinting voluntary service, inspiring Filipinos to put the needs of others before their own.”
There are certain conditions that prevent a person from donating blood temporarily or permanently. Among the temporary conditions are pregnancy, acute fever, recent alcoholic intake, ear or body piercing and tattooing, and surgery.
People with the following conditions are not allowed to donate blood anytime: cancer, cardiac arrest, severe lung disease, hepatitis B and C, HIV infection, AIDS or sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), high risk occupation (prostitution, for instance), unexplained weight loss of more than 5 kilograms over 6 months, and chronic alcoholism.
The blood donation process
The website of the Department of Health (DOH) shares three steps in blood donation: before, during and after.
Before blood donation, you will be asked to fill-up a donor’s form upon arrival at the blood collection site. A trained professional staff will ask questions regarding your health history and give you pre-donation education counselling. Your weight, blood pressure, pulse rate and temperature will be checked. Once these are done, a physician will examine you. A small sample of blood will be taken to check your blood type, hemoglobin level, and screen you for blood-borne viruses and diseases.
“Screening and selection procedure will usually take about 10 to 15 minutes,” the DOH says. “You are encouraged to give accurate data for your own safety and that of the recipient. All information gathered will be treated with utmost confidentiality.”
During blood donation, a skilled phlebotomist will ask you to lie down on the blood donor’s couch for blood collection. The amount of blood which will be taken will be determined by a physician. It will depend mainly on your body weight and will not exceed 450 milliliters. This procedure takes another 10 to 15 minutes.
After blood donation, you will be advised to rest for 10 more minutes. Beverage and simple snacks will be served. A trained professional staff will give you post-donation education and counselling. You will be advised to drink more fluids. The volume of fluids taken is completely replaced by the body within 3 to 5 hours.
After blood is drawn, it is tested for ABO group (blood type) and Rh type (positive or negative). The most common blood type is Blood Group O, followed by A, then B, and AB. More than 99% of Filipinos are RH positive, while less than 1% have Rh negative blood.
Side effects
There are some side effects of donating blood. “Blood donation is safe for healthy adults,” assures the website heathline.com. “There is no risk of contracting disease. New, sterile equipment is used for each donor.
“Some people may feel nauseous, lightheaded, or dizzy after donating blood,” it continues. “If this happens, it should only last a few minutes. You can lie down with your feet up until you feel better.”
Others may experience some bleeding at the site of the needle. Applying pressure and raising your arm for a couple of minutes will usually stop this. You may develop a bruise at the site.
The website suggests that you call the blood donation center when: you still feel lightheaded, dizzy, or nauseous after drinking, eating, and resting; you develop a raised bump or continue bleeding at the needle site; and you have arm pain, numbness, or tingling.
Generally, donors are not allowed to give blood more than once every 65 days, according to The Merck Manual of Medical Information. – ###
