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Intravenous solutions used to provide replacement for blood losses in the circulatory system. These solutions do not replace red blood cells or any other component of the blood but an increase in the volume of circulating blood helps to improve oxygen delivery when there is a considerable blood loss. There are two main types of blood volume expansion solutions: (1) crystalloid solutions consisting of aqueous solutions of water-soluble molecules such as mineral salts (e.g., normal saline, Ringer\'s lactate or acetate); and (2) colloid solutions consisting of large insoluble molecules (e.g., gelatins, starches) that increase the intravascular volume but not the interstitial and intracellular volumes. Blood volume expansion solutions are used to treat patients who have suffered hemorrhage or shock due to reduced blood volume (usually due to hemorrhage) and it is necessary to get the blood volume back to normal as quickly as possible.
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