Why are you not allowed to donate blood if your blood pressure is low?

Question

My blood pressure is about 78/52 and the nurse said that I cannot donate blood because they would have to take me to the hospital and put it back in. Is that correct and if it is, does it mean that if I was injured and losing blood I would die more quickly than someone with normal bp?

Answer 1

Blood pressure is partly determined by your blood volume. If you suddenly remove a pint of blood without replacing the volume, it is normal for BP to go down (less blood in the same space = lower pressure)

Your BP is low, but that is probably normal for you, and is just fine. Taking a pint out, though, would likely drop your BP to the point where you won't adequately perfuse your vital organs. This can cause fainting, heart problems, kidney damage and other bad things.

If you were injured and had a major blood loss, you might see adverse effects more quickly. However, if you are young and otherwise healthy, your sympathetic nervous system would kick in big time and the adrenaline would probably keep your BP high enough to keep you going.

People who have high blood pressure are at risk if they lose a lot of blood because of something called autoregulation. Their organs are used to the higher pressures, and they are unable to tolerate pressures that would be normal for you.

Answer 2

With a low blood pressure, removing more blood fro your system would lower your blood pressure further. the Red Cross can not take the risk of you fainting during the process, so they can refuse to take your blood, for that, and many other reasons.

You won't DIE quicker than other people because you have low blood pressure. Actually, an open wound might bleed out SLOWER on you than on someone with HIGHER blood pressure.

They just can't take the risk of faintings during the process.

Answer 3

When your blood pressure is low there may be inadequate blood flow to the brain, heart,and other organs. Most normal blood pressures fall in the range of 90/60 mm Hg to 130/80 mm Hg, but a significant change, even as little as 20 mm Hg, can cause problems for some people.

Low pressure can be a symptom of all kinds of things, and you can give blood only if you can be shown to be healthy.

I hope this helps.

Answer 4

if you already have low blood pressure and you take blood out of your body, your blood pressure goes even lower. removing fluid from the body always lowers the blood pressure - imagine bleeding out of a large wound...blood pressure always goes down, this is why it is so important to stop bleeding as soon as possible because low blood pressure can stop the heart, and this is obviously a problem. so she is correct - with your low blood pressure you should not donate blood until it reaches a bit of a higher level.

Answer 5

You know, I've got low BP too (86/56). I just found out my red blood cells is extremely low in count (almost anemic). And apparently this might be one of the cause. I'm on iron pills right now, and I'm going to see a follow-up appt with the doctor in about a month. But at the end of the day I'd rather have low than high BP

Answer 6

Your blood pressure will drop, you'll probably faint, and you run the risk of having your heart stop. Not worth it, is it?

Answer 7

Your blood pressure can drop further and you can faint.

Answer 8

you'd pass out for sure if they drew a pint out of you, it could cause an even greater drop in blood pressure too which could cause your heart to stop.

Answer 9

You might faint.

Answer 10

That`s right, you may faint...