Arrhythmias - Bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cell

Essential information

Obligatory

1. Must not donate if:
   1. Symptomatic or requires treatment.
   2. The donor is undergoing investigation.
   3. The donor has a history of an arrhythmia (e.g. atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, supraventricular tachycardia, ventricular tachycardia) even if their symptoms have now settled.
2. In other cases:
   Refer to a Designated Clinical Support Officer.

Discretionary

1. Donors with a previous history of an arrhythmia triggered by a non-cardiac medical condition which has now been treated (e.g. thyrotoxicosis), refer to a Designated Clinical Support Officer.
2. Donors who have been treated by ablation therapy for supraventricular tachycardia (including Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome), refer to a Designated Clinical Support Officer.
3. Donors with a history of palpitations where the donor has been assessed clinically and a cardiac cause has been excluded, accept.

Supporting information

See if relevant

• Cardiovascular disease

Additional information

Some heart irregularities may be made worse through blood loss or by a general anaesthetic. This includes a risk that donation could trigger a recurrence in someone with a history of a previous arrhythmia. In cases where the donor's eligibility is not clear, Designated Clinical Support Officer referral ensures further information can be sought regarding their condition.

Reason for change:

This entry has been revised to clarify the obligatory and discretionary criteria.

Version details:

BM-DSG Edition 203 Release 47 (31 May 2022)