Hyperviscous Fluids: Better Treatment For Severe Blood Loss

Intravenous administration of isotonic fluids is the standard emergency treatment in the US for patients with severe blood loss, but bioengineering researchers have reported improved resuscitation with a radically different approach. Building on earlier studies in humans that have shown benefits of intravenous fluids that are eight times saltier than normal saline, the researchers combined hypertonic saline with viscosity enhancers that thicken blood.