Website maintenance is planned from 8:00 a.m. CDT Saturday, July 27, through 9:00 p.m. CDT Sunday, July 28. Brief disruptions may occur during this time.
Excessive fluid administration causing hemodilution and unnecessary phlebotomy reduce hemoglobin levels and may unnecessarily trigger RBC transfusions based on a numeric threshold despite adequate oxygen-carrying capacity. Replacing blood loss with intravenous fluids, which do not contain adequate clotting factors (i.e., crystalloids, colloids, and packed RBCs), may lead to dilutional coagulopathy, causing a bleeding diathesis. Routine blood draws should be avoided, and if necessary, blood laboratory investigations should be consolidated when appropriate, using minimal volume withdrawal and closed loop collecting systems.