What the CBC?
Acute Blood Loss
Not Enough Iron
100
The ratio of RBC volume to total blood volume is also known as this
What is hematocrit?
*Hb/Hct = Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) in all RBCs!
100
Within the first couple of minutes of acute massive blood loss, there are an increased number of these units to deal with the perforation
What are platelets?
*All values related to RBCs will look normal at first! They will lower over a couple of hours
100
With less RBCs being made, the hemoglobin value moves in this direction
What is down/lower?
200
This CBC value can categorize anemias as microcytic, normocytic, or macrocytic
What is mean corpuscular volume (MCV)?
*Average RBC volume
200
Within a couple of hours to respond to acute blood loss, hematocrit will move in this direction
What is down/lower?
*Immediately will look normal until too much blood is lost. Same with hemoglobin and RBC count!
200
Chronic GI bleeding can happen due to peptic ulcer disease, colon cancer, or use of this class of anti-inflammatory drugs
What are NSAIDs?
*No prostaglandins to protect will compromise mucosal barrier!
300
This CBC value represents the distribution of sizes between all RBCs
What is red blood cell distribution width (RDW)?
300
After a few days, reticulocyte count will move in this direction
What is up/higher?
*Compensation by making more RBCs in response to blood loss
300
Because the MCV decreases, iron deficiency anemia is categorized as this
What is microcytic anemia?
*Means smaller than usual RBCs
400
A normal value of this value that means RBC precursors is 0.5-1.5% of all RBCs
What are reticulocytes?
400
Because of the acute loss of blood, the RDW will move in this direction
What is it doesn't?
*Anything more intrinsic to the RBCs won't change acutely (MCV, MCH, MCHC, RDW) regardless if fluids are added
400
This lab value is the only RBC-related value that increases in iron deficiency anemia
What is RBC distribution width (RDW)?
*Newer RBCs are smaller with less Hb, but the larger, older ones still exist
500
GI bleeds can lead to hypochromic cells, meaning this lab value has been lowered
What is mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH)?
*Insufficient hemoglobin!
500
By adding crystalloid solutions like saline, you decrease blood concentration via this process
What is hemodilution?
*Hb, Hct, RBCs and reticulocytes will be dropped further if they haven't already
500
While not a CBC value, this iron study value being less than 45 ng/mL is very indicative of iron deficiency anemia
What is ferritin?
*Recall this is an iron storing protein that will be lowered