What is an important time marker for monitoring transfusion reactions?

Monitoring transfusion reactions is critical for ensuring patient safety, and the most important time marker for this monitoring is during the first 15 minutes of the transfusion. This period is crucial because many transfusion reactions, especially acute ones, tend to occur shortly after the transfusion begins.

During this initial interval, healthcare providers closely observe the patient for any signs of allergic reactions, febrile non-hemolytic reactions, or hemolytic transfusion reactions. These can manifest as symptoms like fever, chills, itching, or hypotension. If any adverse reactions are detected during this time, the transfusion can be halted immediately, and appropriate medical interventions can be initiated.

Other time markers might not capture the onset of these reactions effectively. For instance, monitoring only at the start or during the final minute would likely miss the critical early signs of a reaction. Thus, the 15-minute interval is established as the standard practice for vigilant monitoring at the start of a transfusion.