Transfusion pattern of fresh frozen plasma in a medical school hospital.

364 units of fresh frozen plasma (FFP) used at the Medical College of Ohio Hospital between April and July 1982 were analyzed for their pattern of use. According to the criteria developed for the survey, 33% of the units were used for blood pressure support, 34% were used for clotting support, 14% were used for the combined reasons of blood pressure and clotting support, 11% of the units were used during therapeutic pheresis, and the remaining 7% were used for unidentified reasons. 39% of the FFP were given with red blood cells. Since FFP transfusions carry potentially more serious adverse effects than albumin/plasma protein fractions, their use as volume expanders, or to reconstitute whole blood, should be discouraged.