Haematological aspects of bleeding emergencies - a brief overview.

Bleeding emergencies can be encountered in many clinical settings. While there are some key common principles, a focussed targeted approach is also needed for optimum patient outcome depending on the scenario, for example trauma, obstetric, acute gastrointestinal. Coherent multidisciplinary management with explicitly clear communication in particular between clinical and laboratory teams is essential. Major haemorrhage protocols developed in consensus between key teams and based on national guidelines where available will help support management in these clinically fraught situations. Important lessons can be learnt with review of adverse events in patients with major haemorrhage and by reporting these to haemovigilance schemes. There has been a shift to early use of empirical blood and component ratios particularly in trauma. Further research is needed to help define a more evidence-based approach to management of patients with significant haemorrhage which is seen in a variety of clinical disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]