Blood is an essential component of the cardiovascular system. Many people who desire to donate blood believe they are unable to do so due to a cardiovascular problem. Some cardiovascular diseases preclude blood donation, but most do not. If you have a cardiovascular issue, you should discuss it with your personal healthcare professional and the health historian at the time of donation. Let’s look at some prevalent cardiovascular problems and their effects on blood donation. If you still have questions after reading this material, call 1-800-RED-CROSS for more information.
When you visit an American Red Cross blood drive, your blood pressure, pulse, temperature, and hemoglobin levels are assessed. The results show information about your current health at the time of donation. At each drive, all donors are also examined by a health historian, who makes the final decision on whether the gift may be processed.
If you have a history of bleeding difficulties and your blood does not clot normally, you cannot donate since you risk significant bleeding where the needle was inserted. For the same reason, do not give if you are on any prescription “blood thinner”. If you take aspirin, you may donate whole blood.
Individuals with high blood pressure can donate if their blood pressure is less than 180 systolic (first number) and 100 diastolic (second number) at the time of donation. High blood pressure medications do not preclude you from donating. Those with Low Blood Pressure can donate if their recorded blood pressure is at least 90/50 (systolic/diastolic) and they are in good health when they arrive. The heart rate, or pulse, cannot be higher than 100 beats per minute or lower than 50 beats per minute.
People with heart disease can generally donate blood if they have been medically tested and treated, have no cardiac symptoms such as chest discomfort, and have had no limitations or restrictions on their normal daily activities in the previous 6 months. People who have had an episode of angina, a heart attack, bypass surgery or angioplasty, or a change in their heart condition that necessitated a medication adjustment must wait at least 6 months before giving blood.
If you have a pacemaker and your pulse is between 50 and 100 beats per minute, you are still eligible to donate if you match the other heart disease criteria. If you have a heart murmur, you can donate as long as you have been medically tested and treated, have not experienced symptoms in the last 6 months, and have no limitations on your typical daily activities.
Scheduled drives in West Sedona are: Wednesday, April 10– Sunset Village.
Scheduled drives in the Village of Oak Creek are: Tuesday, February 13 – Sedona Winds and Thursday, March 28 – VOC Church of the Nazarene.
Check online at redcross.org/blood or the blood donor app for newly added drives.