Blood bank defends stopping pressure checks

THE Irish Blood Transfusion Service has defended its decision to stop taking donors’ blood pressure in a bid to boost supplies.

The blood bank said that measuring blood pressure at a donation clinic was unnecessary because it did not make the process any safer.

More than 1,200 donors were turned down last year because of a high or low blood pressure reading and represented 3.6% of all deferrals. Just under one in five donations are deferred for a variety of reasons, including high or low blood pressure.

The blood bank’s deputy national medical director, Dr Emer Lawlor, said it was responding to “good and careful” studies conducted in Britain and the US.

The studies indicated a high or low blood pressure reading did not increase the risk of fainting, bruising or other adverse reactions in a person who was well. They also found most people with high blood pressure at blood donation clinics were only showing a normal response to mild anxiety or stress and did not need any further treatment or follow-up.

Dr Lawlor pointed out the Council of Europe changed the guidelines on donating to allow the blood bank in Britain to stop measuring blood pressure. The practice had also been stopped in some parts of the US.

“We would closely model ourselves on the British, who first made the case for stopping in 2002,” she said.

She added a lot of people would have low blood pressure and it would be perfectly normal for them.

“What is more important is a history of fainting or experiencing dizziness. But, in itself, low blood pressure is not an issue,” she said.

The blood bank has been phasing out the practice of measuring blood pressure since May. It stopped in every clinic last week.

Dr Lawlor said the practice was phased out to make the donation process smoother, to reduce delays and avoid scaring donors unnecessarily.

The blood bank has described the current blood supply as “quite good” as the recent bad weather had encouraged more people to donate.

* The Heart Foundation recommends people aged over 30 have their blood pressure checked every two to three years.