Voluven, an intravenous solution that "prevents and treats a dangerous loss of blood volume" has been proven effective when administered to patients ranging from 2-years-old to 75-years-old.
"Massive blood loss is a life-threatening problem. Approval of Voluven provides clinicians with an alternative blood volume product that is safe and effective in a wide range of age groups," Jesse L. Goodman, M.D., M.P.H., director of FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in a statement.
However, it was stressed that Voluven is not recommended to patients with known abnormal sensitivity to the synthetic starch used in the product, those experiencing fluid overload, those with kidney failure not related to low blood volume, those undergoing dialysis, those with severe increases in blood levels of sodium or chloride and patients with bleeding inside the head.
"As a new blood volume expander manufactured by Fresenius Kabi in Germany, Voluven contains a synthetic starch that does not dissolve in water. It is made by linking individual starch molecules together and combining them with a salt solution, similar to the salt concentration typically found in blood. Voluven expands the volume of blood plasma and thus draws fluid into small blood vessels," he was quoted as saying by Xinhua news.
Like other popular blood volume expander and approved starch solution such as Hespan, Volumen helps restore the red blood cells circulating through the human body.
