AMR ambulances in Pueblo now carry whole blood
PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- American Medical Response (AMR) paramedics in Pueblo are now carrying whole blood on designated ambulance units, enabling transfusion for patients suffering severe blood loss before they reach the hospital.
Through a collaboration between AMR and UCHealth, AMR is the first emergency medical service (EMS) agency in Pueblo to launch a pre-hospital whole blood program, according to a statement from UCHealth.
Health professionals say that in the past, EMS crews have relied on intravenous (IV) fluids to stabilize patients in hemorrhagic shock until they could reach a hospital.
“Hemorrhagic shock, or bleeding to death, is the leading cause of death for people under the age of 45,” said Dr. Thomas Herzog, a trauma surgeon at UCHealth Parkview in Pueblo. “Up to 40 percent of these deaths could be preventable with immediate transfusion. By bringing blood to the scene, we are giving patients a much better chance at survival.”
Now, UCHealth says paramedics with AMR will be trained and equipped to administer whole blood transfusions in the field.
The program’s launch was made possible through more than $55,000 in support from the UCHealth Parkview Foundation, says officials.
Whole blood contains red cells, plasma, and platelets and was first used on the battlefield during World War I. It is now recognized as a superior treatment for traumatic bleeding and is safe for emergency use regardless of blood type, says health officials.
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