Lab Testing

What does a CBC measure?
- Measurement of all major ingrdients of the blood.
- Red blood cells (RBC)
- Hemoglobin (Hb)
- Hematocrit (Hct)
- White blood cells (WBC)
RBC
Term
Description
Normal Value/Range
Significance of Low Values
Significance of High Values
- Red blood cells
- Contain hemoglobin
- necessary for oxygen transport
- Normal value = 4-6 mill/mm3
- High RBC (polycythemia) = occurs with chronic tissue hypoxemia (i.e. COPD)
- Low RBC (anemia) = Occurs with blood loss, hemorrhage
Hb
Term
Description
Normal Value/Range
Significance of Low Values
Significance of High Values
- Hemoglobin
- Carries oxygen (1.34 mL per gram Hb)
- Normal value = 12-16 gm/100mL blood (g/dl)
- Low Hb = anemia
- High Hb = Polycythemia
Hct
Term
Description
Normal Value/Range
Significance of Low Values
Significance of High Values
- Hematocrit
- Spin the whole blood and measure the % of RBC in the original blood volume
- Normal value = 40-50%
- Low Hct = anemia
- High Hct = Polycythemia
WBC
Term
Description
Normal Value/Range
Significance of Low Values
Significance of High Values
- White blood cells
- WBC are used by the body to fight infections
- Normal value = 5,000-10000 per mm3
- Increased wbc (leukocytosis) = bacterial infection
- Decreased WBC (leukopenia) = viral infection

Author

docmc90

ID

141445

Card Set

Lab Testing

Description

Patient Evaluation Lab Testing

Updated

2012-03-14T00:13:42Z

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