American College of Cardiology Annual Scientific Session March 11-14, 2006, Atlanta. Abstract Number: 973-234
Patients admitted with ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction should not routinely be given blood transfusions according to the findings of a study released at the ACC meeting in Atlanta. Vivek Rajagopal has found an association with higher levels of morbidity and mortality among patients transfused which could possibly be caused by the transfusions themselves and not just because sicker patients are being transfused. He explained his study findings to Sarah Maxwell.