is approximately equal to the number of days of RBC unit
storage; (b) irradiation causes a rapid increase in [K+]; (c)
there is potentially sufficient potassium in the supernatant
of current RBC preparations to lead to hyperkalemia
with large transfusion volumes; (d) any rise in patient
potassium after transfusion is usually transient due to the
redistribution of the potassium load; (e) transfusionassociated
hyperkalemic cardiac arrests probably do
occur, although it is difficult to prove this fact conclusively;
and (f) promising strategies to combat transfusionassociated
hyperkalemia include RBC washing, the use of
in-line potassium filters, and the use of traditional
treatments for hyperkalemia such as the use of insulin.
© 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.