Contents:
- Medical Video: Hydrostatic vs Oncotic Pressure | Osmosis, albumin, fluid management, edema
- Albumin is low, does it have to be transfused?
- What should be prepared when going to albumin transfusion?
- Are there side effects in transfusing albumin?
- If pregnant and lactating women experience low albumin, will it be transfused too?
Medical Video: Hydrostatic vs Oncotic Pressure | Osmosis, albumin, fluid management, edema
Maybe most of you are not familiar with albumin levels in the body. Yes, this substance is not as well known as cholesterol or blood sugar, but its function in the body is very important. Actually, albumin is a protein substance that is quite a lot in the blood. So, when albumin drops dramatically, it means there's something wrong with your body. If this happens, you may need albumin transfusion.
Albumin is low, does it have to be transfused?
The liver is the organ responsible for producing albumin. You could say, albumin is a simple form of protein because it has been digested by the body and has a role to regulate body fluids and provide food to tissues and cells that need it.
Well, then when albumin is low, you will experience various symptoms and must be treated immediately. Low albumin amounts can be caused by various things such as:
- Just underwent surgery
- Having burns
- Having impaired kidney function
- Having heart disease
- Food intake is not good and ultimately malnutrition
- Diabetes
- Disorders of liver function, such as cirrhosis
One treatment that is carried out when albumin is very low is albumin infusion therapy or albumin transfusion. Yes, this method is done so that albumin levels can return to normal in a not so long time.
What should be prepared when going to albumin transfusion?
The procedure is almost the same when you do a blood transfusion, which distinguishes only substances that enter the body. So, you really don't need special preparation before transfusing albumin.
Albumin will be inserted through an IV and the dose will be adjusted to the conditions of each patient. The reason, the dose will depend on the disease suffered and the age of the patient. So, the doctor will adjust it for you.
Maybe, because it is inserted through an IV, you have to experience a little pain due to the injection of an intravenous needle into a blood vessel. However, don't worry, of course this won't last long.
Are there side effects in transfusing albumin?
Albumin is made by the factory, just like other medicines, there are side effects that arise after you have transfused albumin, namely:
- Edema or swelling in certain parts of the body
- Heart palpitations
- Headache
- Feels nauseous
- Shivering
- Fever
- Itchy skin
In some people, maybe an albumin transfusion will cause allergies. If you experience this after transfusion of albumin, then don't panic. Report it immediately to the doctor who handles you.
If pregnant and lactating women experience low albumin, will it be transfused too?
So far, there is no scientific evidence to suggest that albumin transfusion can harm the womb. However, you should consult your doctor first if you experience low albumin and then are recommended for transfusion albumin.
Meanwhile, albumin is not proven to be able to enter breast milk and affect children's development. However, once again you should discuss this with your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
