AANA journal
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The use of antifibrinolytic therapy is commonplace in coronary artery revascularization procedures. Cardiac surgery accounts for more than 700,000 surgeries per year, with approximately 70% of these cases requiring antifibrinolytic therapy for coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) procedures. ⋯ However, new data have emerged regarding an increase in adverse outcomes associated with serine protease inhibitors. The purpose of this review article is to describe the clinical significance of antifibrinolytic therapy and the current implications associated with its use.
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Even though the supply of blood products has never been safer, disease transmission remains the chief patient concern about transfusions. The primary concerns for anesthetists center on risks associated with blood transfusions, such as transfusion-related acute lung injury, anaphylactic transfusion reaction, clerical errors resulting in ABO incompatibility, and blood products contaminated with infectious organisms. These concerns, combined with patients' religious tenets and other factors, have contributed to renewed efforts to minimize blood transfusion without negative patient consequences. Achieving this goal requires a concerted effort by surgeons, perioperative nurses, and anesthesia providers.