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AB0, Rhesus, Kell Many Germans do not know their own blood type
Many Germans do not know their blood type. It would be very easy to have these detected, for example, in a blood donation to the German Red Cross (DRC). Although you do not necessarily know your own blood type, but the knowledge can also provide information about personal health hazards.
Blood type influences risk for some diseases
A, B, AB or 0, Rhesus positive or negative? Many people do not know which blood type they have. Although this knowledge is not absolutely necessary, because doctors test the blood group anyway, if necessary, it could help to be better informed about personal health hazards. Because the blood type influences the risk for some diseases, as studies have shown.
Many Germans do not know their blood type. Although this knowledge is not absolutely necessary because doctors test the blood group when needed anyway, but it can provide information on personal health hazards. (Image: benjaminnolte / fotolia.com) For blood group B greater risk of pancreatitis
For example, researchers at the University of Greifswald have reported that the risk of pancreatitis in blood group B compared to blood group 0 is two and a half times higher. The blood group also plays a role in the risk of diseases such as myocardial infarction or gastritis.
Almost every person will eventually depend on a blood product
"Every healthy person today can depend on the blood donation of a fellow human being from one minute to another. 80% of all Germans are dependent on a blood product once in their lives, "writes the DRK blood donation service North-East on its website. "The two most common blood types found in Germany are the blood groups A with 43% and 0 with 41% share in the population," it states.
Although it is not absolutely necessary to know his blood type, but it could not hurt, said Birgit Stürmer, who works as a removal doctor at the Blood Donor Service North-East of the DRC in Lütjensee near Hamburg. In a message from the dpa news agency, the expert informs about interesting facts about the topic.
How can one experience one's blood type??
In order to be able to label the donated blood correctly, the blood group is determined again and again at each blood donor. About four weeks after the first donation to the German Red Cross, donors are sent their donor card, in which the three blood groups AB0, Rhesus and Kell are indicated. Other services, such as Haema, also send the ID card after the first donation. There are no costs for this.
Before each transfusion is checked
Although some people think that they can be provided with blood more quickly in emergencies, if they know their blood type or this is in their blood donor card, but that is not the case. As Striker explained, the blood type of the recipient is checked before each transfusion. "Only the information on the card is not enough," said the expert. It is always checked.
What can happen if these checks are not done thoroughly enough, showed a case from the Lower Saxon town of Duderstadt, which caused nationwide attention at the beginning of the year. There a patient in a hospital had died because of wrong blood products.
Blood of the group AB is in demand
According to Ms Stürmer, it is not absolutely necessary to know his blood type, as doctors will test them if necessary anyway, if these values are relevant, for example in pregnancies. "But it can not hurt and is simply interesting," says the doctor.
The knowledge could have quite practical benefits: Who is about 0-, as only six percent of the population, whose blood can help many people. "It's a universal donor's blood," Stürmer explained. And blood from group AB is sought after for plasma donations because it can be transfused to any recipient. (Ad)