Hematocrit Is the mass of red blood cells, in a given
volume of blood. The procedure of checking the hematocrit consists in takin-off blood
from a vein, which is then combined with an anti-coagulant substance and it is
distributed in a very narrow glass tube, which is strong span in a centrifugal
device.
Following this operation blood is separating in the
upper layer (plasma) and the lower layer, composed of red blood cells, which represents
the hematocrit.
Hematocrit is defined as the volume of the
layer of red blood cells (in percents) from the total volume of blood from the glass
tube.
Normal hematocrit
values:
- Male =
40-48%
- Female = 36-42%
-
Children 2-15 years = 36-39%.
Increased hematocrit is rare,
when the body loses more water through sweating, fever, with vomiting (dehydration) and
in disease that is characterized by an excessive growth of the number of red blood
cells.
Decreased hematocrit is seen in anemia, loss of
blood or when fluids are consumed before
bleeding.
Hematocrit is helping to put a more precise
diagnosis of anemia.
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