On which patient demographic is capillary puncture primarily performed?

Capillary puncture is primarily performed on infants and anemic patients due to the nature of the procedure and the physiological characteristics of these demographics. In infants, particularly neonates, venous access can be challenging due to their small veins. A capillary puncture, often done on a finger or heel, provides a more accessible method for obtaining blood samples while minimizing discomfort and potential complications associated with larger needles.

In anemic patients, capillary blood tests can also be beneficial since they may have a reduced blood volume and obtaining blood via venipuncture could be more difficult. Capillary blood sampling allows for quick and efficient testing, especially when only a small volume of blood is needed.

These reasons underscore why capillary punctures are favored for infants and anemic patients as opposed to other demographics, where venous blood collection tends to be more common due to size, accessibility, and standard practice in blood collection techniques.