Blood Components
Blood is a liquid that is pumped by the heart through the body. It carries oxygen and nutrients to every cell and carries away waste products. It also plays a central role in the defense against infections. There are four main components of blood—red blood cells, plasma, platelets and white blood cells.
- Red Blood Cells – Most often, red blood cells are transfused to patients who have lost blood because of a trauma or surgery.
Learn more - Plasma – A plasma transfusion increases the blood's ability to clot and is most often used to treat bleeding disorders.
Learn more - Platelets – Platelets are given to patients when their blood does not clot properly due to a disease or chemotherapy.
Learn more - White Blood Cells – When patients are suffering from life-threatening infections and aren't responding to antibiotics, they may be given white blood cells.
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