Donor safety:
A history of stroke, subarachnoid haemorrhage, transient ischaemic attack/s or cerebral embolus puts a potential donor at increased risk of a further vascular incident affecting their brain. As donation can result in a drop in blood pressure, there is the possibility that this could lead to further problems. Although the level of risk will vary from person to person, it is not acceptable to put an individual at increased risk, for what could be a severe adverse event, to any unnecessary further risk.
Transient global amnesia is a temporary and isolated disorder of memory. Affected individuals are usually over 50 years of age and there is an association with migraine. There is no association with cerebrovascular disease.
Idiopathic or benign intracranial hypertension is a raised intracranial pressure where no mass or other disease is present. Blood donation does not pose a risk to a donor with a history of idiopathic intracranial hypertension once treated and while donor remains symptom free.
Parkinson’s disease is a movement disorder that can make venepuncture difficult and lead to damage to the donors arm, it is also treated with dopamine receptor agonist drugs (e.g. rotigotine, bromocriptine, ropinirole and pramipexole) that can cause hypotension and fainting.
Recipient safety:
It is thought that degenerative brain disease in the form of vCJD has been transmitted by blood transfusion. Often the exact cause of a degenerative brain condition only becomes known after death. For this reason, when there is any doubt as to the underlying cause of a brain condition, it is considered safest not to accept a donation. |