People have the right to be involved in discussions and make informed decisions about their care, as described in NICE's information on making decisions about your care.
Making decisions using NICE guidelines explains how we use words to show the strength (or certainty) of our recommendations, and has information about prescribing medicines (including off-label use), professional guidelines, standards and laws (including on consent and mental capacity), and safeguarding.
Healthcare professionals should follow our general guidelines for people delivering care:
Use restrictive red blood cell transfusion thresholds for people who need red blood cell transfusions and who do not:
have major haemorrhage or
have acute coronary syndrome or
need regular blood transfusions for chronic anaemia. [2015]
When using a restrictive red blood cell transfusion threshold, consider a threshold of 70 g/litre and a haemoglobin concentration target of 70 to 90 g/litre after transfusion. [2015]
Consider a red blood cell transfusion threshold of 80 g/litre and a haemoglobin concentration target of 80 to 100 g/litre after transfusion for people with acute coronary syndrome. [2015]
Consider setting individual thresholds and haemoglobin concentration targets for each person who needs regular blood transfusions for chronic anaemia. [2015]
Consider single‑unit red blood cell transfusions for adults (or equivalent volumes calculated based on body weight for children or adults with low body weight) who do not have active bleeding. [2015]
After each single‑unit red blood cell transfusion (or equivalent volumes calculated based on body weight for children or adults with low body weight), clinically reassess and check haemoglobin levels, and give further transfusions if needed. [2015]