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# Cardiovascular disease (CVD) - Whole blood and components

## Essential information

Obligatory

  Must not donate if has or has had:

  1. An aneurysm.
  2. Cardiomyopathy.
  3. Ischaemic heart disease or angina regardless of cause including myocardial ischaemia with non-obstructive coronary arteries (INOCA).
  4. Heart failure.
  5. Myocarditis and it is less than 12 months from recovery.
  6. Peripheral vascular disease (including intermittent claudication and gangrene).
  7. Has required surgery for a blocked or narrowed artery including any type of amputation.
  8. Valvular heart disease.
  9. Heart block or bundle branch block.
Discretionary
  1. If an incidental heart murmur has been heard or a valve abnormality has been found at echo, which is asymptomatic and does not require follow-up, accept.
  2. If asymptomatic and there is no treatment planned for patent foramen ovale (PFO), accept.
  3. If a congenital heart defect has been treated medically or surgically, cure has been achieved (or the defect has spontaneously resolved) and donation is not excluded because of a transfusion history, accept.
  4. If the donor has been diagnosed with right bundle branch block (RBBB), and the donor has been clinically assessed and found to have no evidence of cardiac or pulmonary disease, accept.
  5. If the donor has been diagnosed with first degree heart block, and the donor has been clinically assessed and found to have no evidence of cardiac disease, accept for whole blood donation.
  6. If the donor has been found to have coronary atheroma as an incidental finding during routine investigations and:
     1. If the donor has not been advised to take antiplatelet agents (e.g. aspirin) and/or cholesterol lowering medication, and
     2. There is no history of chest pain or other cardiac symptoms, accept.

## Supporting information

See if relevant
  - Arrhythmias
  - Blood pressure, high
  - Cardiac surgery
  - Central nervous system disease
  - Cerebrovascular disease and intracranial haemorrhage
  - Endocarditis
  - Shunts, stents and devices
  - Superficial thrombophlebitis
  - Thrombosis and thrombophilia
Additional information

  A history of 'cardiovascular disease' means that removing blood from their circulation may put the donor at risk of having a heart attack, stroke or other vascular incident.

  Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a normal variant found in up to 40% of the population at post mortem. If it is asymptomatic and no treatment or surgery is planned for this atrial septal defect, donors can be accepted.

  Incidental heart murmurs and valve abnormalities are increasingly being found due to the sensitivity of new testing regimes. If the abnormality is of no clinical significance (i.e. the donor is asymptomatic and does not require treatment or follow-up), the donor may be accepted.

  Right bundle branch block (RBBB) and first degree heart block can be diagnosed in individuals in the absence of heart disease. Provided the donor has been clinically assessed and there is no evidence of cardiovascular or pulmonary disease, the donor can be accepted. If there is any uncertainty about the diagnosis or the results of investigations, refer to a Designated Clinical Support Officer.

Reason for change:
  Guidance on berry aneurysms has been moved to the Cerebrovascular Disease and Intracranial Haemorrhage entry.
Version details:

  WB-DSG Edition 203 Release 73 (07 October 2024)

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