Possible risks of blood transfusions Although blood transfusions
can be life-saving, they are not without risks. Infections were
once the main risk, but they have become extremely rare with
careful testing and donor screening. Transfusion reactions and
other non-infectious problems are now more common. When you are
getting a transfusion of any kind, it is very important that you
let your nurse know right away if you notice any changes in how
you feel, such as itching, shivering, headache, chest or back
pain, nausea, dizziness, trouble breathing, or other problems.
Blood transfusions sometimes cause transfusion reactions. There
are several types of reactions and some are worse than others.
Some reactions happen as soon as the transfusion is started,
while others take several days or even longer to develop. Many
precautions are taken before a transfusion is started to keep
reactions from happening. The blood type of the unit is checked
many times, and the unit is cross-matched to be sure that it
matches the blo