Blood Transfusion Health, Medicine, Nursing Essay Paper (Essay Sample)

Blood transfusion and ECG
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Introduction
Transfusion medicine is one of the most studied aspect in medicine due to the fatal reactions that can occur if inappropriately done to the patient. Most of the transfusion reactions occur due to antigen-antibody reactions when incompatible blood is transfused to a patient. Antigen is a protein that is found on the surface of cells like Red blood cells or toxins or foreign bodies that induce immunological response via the production of the antibodies. Antibodies are substances produced by the plasma cells to counteract foreign bodies such as bacteria and viruses in the body in the serum. A complex reaction of the antibody-antigen reactions enables the body to fight the bacteria in the body. The ABO blood type represents the different blood group that is unique to each individual. An individual can either be blood group A, B, AB or 0. The type of blood group is determined by the antigen found on the surface of the red blood cells. Blood group A has an antigen A on the red blood cells, blood group B has antigen B on the red cells, blood group AB has both antigen A and B on the red cells while blood group O lacks any antigen.
The genotype is the genetic makeup of an individual that determines the characteristic (phenotype) of a person. From the table below, various genotypes are shown which determines the blood group (phenotype) of an individual. Rhesus factor is an antigen found on the red blood cells. Presence of the antigen makes an individual rhesus positive while absence makes an individual rhesus negative. The antigen and antibody knowledge are significant in transfusion medicine since mismatch of transfused blood can cause potentially life-threatening blood reactions and death. Therefore, blood should be properly typed to reduce blood reactions in recipient receiving blood transfusion.