With blood centers and hospitals facing severe shortages in blood supply levels, many people with heart disease may be wondering if they can help by donating.

Experts say it can be done safely in most cases.

Typically, someone in the United States needs blood about every two seconds for reasons such as surgery, cancer treatment, childbirth, anemia, serious injuries, and blood disorders.

In fact, a surprising number of potential blood donors are people who have a medical history of heart disease or other conditions that discourage them from donating, says Alcinda Flowers, medical director of Varsity, a Milwaukee-based blood center. the doctor said. .

“Many people want to donate because they are in the hospital and are themselves affected by the need for blood,” she says. “And they can empathize with others.”

According to the Food and Drug Administration, more than 11 million units of whole blood are donated each year in the United States. However, the American Red Cross reported an emergency blood supply shortage after the number of blood donors hit a 20-year low. Winter storms and a surge in coronavirus cases may have further disrupted supplies.

The FDA regulates the safety of blood products primarily to protect blood recipients, and blood donation requirements may vary by blood center.

Flowers said the blood center screens all potential donors with a questionnaire to determine who can safely donate blood.

People with a cold or flu can’t donate blood until 48 hours after their symptoms are gone, according to the National Institutes of Health, but there are different restrictions for COVID-19 and other conditions.

But Flowers said people with heart disease can also consider donating blood.

Additionally, most people with high blood pressure can donate blood if their systolic blood pressure (top number) is less than 180 millimeters of mercury and their diastolic blood pressure (bottom number) is 100 mmHg at the time of donation. .

The Red Cross recommends that people who have had a heart attack, recently developed angina, had bypass surgery or angioplasty, or have had their medications changed due to a change in their heart condition be treated for at least six months. We recommend waiting.

Flowers said people who take blood thinners or other anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs should not undergo a medical exam because donating blood can be harmful to them as well as to the donor. They are required to disclose all medicines they are taking.

Bottom line: People with heart conditions should check with their medical team before donating blood, Flowers said.

Dr. Tochi Okwosa, a cardiologist and director of the cardio-oncology program at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, said that as a general rule of thumb, people with low hemoglobin counts should not donate blood. The Red Cross requires a hemoglobin level of at least 12.5 grams per deciliter for female donors and 13 g/dL for male donors.

That’s because hemoglobin determines the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood, Okwosa said. Donors may also run the risk of not getting enough oxygen to their tissues and organs.

Okwosa said donors with heart failure may experience episodes, and those with coronary artery disease may have heart attacks.

People with heart disease may also feel tired and short of breath after donating blood, and those taking diuretics can worsen dehydration and become lightheaded, he said.

However, Okwosa says donating blood should be fine for people with well-controlled high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels.

At the end of the day, she said, if you’re healthy enough, donating blood is beneficial for everyone because it feels good to be able to help others. “That’s the right thing to do.”