Donating Blood Regularly Linked to Lower Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke
Jerusalem, 18 August, 2025 (TPS-IL) -- Baku (AZERTAC) – Blood donation is an extremely important process from both medical and social points of view. Being a donor not only supports human health, but also serves the well-being of society. The safety of this process is regulated within the framework of certain medical criteria. In this regard, permanent or temporary exclusion of donors from blood donation is carried out in accordance with international standards. Permanent exclusion cases include infectious diseases such as HIV (AIDS), syphilis, hepatitis B and C, some oncological and hereditary blood diseases, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, severe cardiovascular, liver, kidney and nervous system diseases. In the presence of such indications, donation is not allowed.
This was stated by Afet Zeynalova, Deputy Executive Director of the Republican Blood Bank, AZERTAC reports.
He noted that in some cases, donors are temporarily excluded from donating blood due to health conditions. In acute respiratory diseases, this period is usually 2–4 weeks. After live vaccines, the donor must wait from 48 hours to 4 weeks. After surgical operations, this period lasts up to 1 year. For women after childbirth, a break of about 12 months is recommended. For those who have traveled to a country with a risk of malaria, the exclusion lasts 1–3 years, and for donors who have received blood or blood components in the previous year, it lasts at least 12 months. The goal is to ensure that the donor returns to donating blood in a completely healthy state.
“During a blood donation, a donor donates approximately 8–10 percent of the total blood volume in the body. This is not only safe, but also accelerates regeneration processes in the body. The renewal of blood cells results in the activation of the bone marrow, the immune system is strengthened, the plasma composition is renewed, and the excretion of toxins is accelerated. In addition, due to the normalization of iron metabolism, the load on the cardiovascular system is reduced. Everyone should know that the blood donation process is generally safe. Sometimes donors may feel slight dizziness, weakness, and nausea after the operation, but these conditions pass within a short period of time. To prevent this, the donor should eat properly and drink enough fluids before donating blood, and it is recommended to rest for 10–15 minutes after donating blood. These experiments are carried out under the supervision of professional staff at the Republican Blood Bank of the Ministry of Health,” Zeynalova said.
He alaso spoke about the impact of blood donation on the cardiovascular and metabolic systems.
According to Zeynalova, blood donation improves blood circulation by reducing blood viscosity, reduces the risk of hypertension and vascular occlusion. In addition, the removal of excess iron from the body prevents oxidative stress. Thus, the risk of heart attack and stroke is reduced, and as a result of normalization of metabolic processes, the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes is also reduced.
“Donation prevents blood clotting, facilitates circulation in the vascular system, and also weakens the pressure that blood exerts on the vascular walls. This, in turn, reduces the risk of hypertension and vascular occlusion. Scientific studies show that people who regularly donate blood have a 30-40 percent lower risk of heart attack and stroke. In addition, when excess iron accumulates in the body, oxidative stress occurs. This also harms the cardiovascular system. Blood donation prevents this excess and protects vascular health,” Zeynalova said.
“At the same time, knowing that the donor has saved a life gives him a sense of moral comfort, self-confidence and social usefulness. This leads to a decrease in stress and an increase in psychological well-being. In general, blood donation plays an important role in maintaining the health stability of society. Blood is vital for emergency operations, childbirth, victims of road accidents, oncological and hereditary blood diseases. Stable blood reserves open up wider opportunities for the Ministry of Health to make operational decisions in emergency situations,” he added.
