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Treatment of Anemia

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Management of Acute Kidney Problems

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Abstract

In the absence of acute bleeding or acute ischemic cardiac disease, a transfusion trigger of 7.0 g/dl is appropriate in most critically ill patients including those with acute kidney injury (AKI). A transfusion trigger of between 8.0 and 10.0 g/dl is appropriate for patients with acute coronary syndromes until further evidence becomes available. Epoetin alpha administration, in the acute setting, will increase the hemoglobin concentration; however, it does not reduce red blood cell (RBC) transfusion in the critically ill. In those patients with prolonged dialysis-dependent acute renal failure (ARF) following the acute phase of critical illness (>28 days), epoetin may play a role similar to that in chronic kidney disease. In view of the increase in risk of thrombotic events, patients receiving epoetin alpha in the intensive care unit (ICU) should receive prophylactic anticoagulation if possible.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Medicine and Anesthesiology, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH, 03756, USA

    Howard L. Corwin

Authors
  1. Annette Beyea
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  2. Howard L. Corwin
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Correspondence to Howard L. Corwin .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Charité Campus Virchow, Universitätsklinikum Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, Berlin, 13353, Germany

    Achim Jörres

  2. Dipto. Nefrologia, Ospedale San Bortolo, Viale Rodolfi 16, Vicenza, 36100, Italy

    Claudio Ronco

  3. School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Terrace Street 3550, Pittsburgh, 15261, U.S.A.

    John A. Kellum

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© 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Beyea, A., Corwin, H.L. (2010). Treatment of Anemia. In: Jörres, A., Ronco, C., Kellum, J. (eds) Management of Acute Kidney Problems. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-69441-0_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-69441-0_17

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-69413-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-69441-0

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