CAMLPR Transfusion Practice Test

A massive transfusion protocol is designed to rapidly replace blood loss with a balanced mix of blood components to maintain both oxygen delivery and coagulation. Transfusing only red blood cells can dilute clotting factors and platelets, leading to ongoing bleeding. Providing red cells along with plasma (for clotting factors) and platelets (for primary hemostasis) in a 1:1:1 ratio helps preserve coagulation and more closely approximates whole blood, which can improve bleeding control and outcomes when massive hemorrhage occurs. This approach emphasizes getting all components to the patient quickly rather than delaying plasma or platelets to save resources, and it avoids hypothermia, since warming blood products and maintaining normothermia are important to prevent coagulopathy.