HAEMATOCRIT (PACKED CELL VOLUME)
Types
- Haematocrit literally means blood separation. It Measures the percentage of volume of packed red cells. Haematocrit is a ratio of the volume of red blood cells to the volume of whole blood. The value is expressed as percentage or fraction
- It is also known as ‘’Packed Cell Volume” and is a reliable index of the red...
Description
Adult male:
- 46% (40-50%)
Adult female:
- 42% (37-47)
When to get Tested
- As a part of Complete Blood count
- When there is s/s of anemia (weakness or fatigue, Lack of energy, fainting, pallor, shortness of breath, irregular heart beat)
- When there is s/s of Polycythemia (Disturbed vision, dizziness, headache, flushing, enlarged spleen)
- When there is s/s of dehydration (extreme thirst, dry mouth or mucous membrane, and lack of sweating or urination)
Elevated Level
Physiological
- High altitude (due to hypoxia)
- Newborns and infants
- Excessive sweating (due to haemo concentration)
Pathological
- Hypoxia e.g. congenital heart disease and emphysema
- Polycythemia
- Conditions in which there is haemo concentration e.g. severe vomiting and diarrhoea (due to dehydration )
Decreased Level
Physiological
- Pregnancy (due to haemo dilution)
- Excess water intake
- sex predilection (lower in women )
Pathological
- Various types of anemia
- Conditions in which there is haemo dilution and expansion of plasma volume e.g. hyper aldrosteronism
