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Hematocrit Insights for Medical Professionals

Hematocrit (HCT, or packed cell volume, PCV) is defined as: “The ratio of the volume of RBCs to the volume of whole blood.” This test measures the amount of space that RBCs take up in the blood. Its value is given as a percentage of RBCs in a volume of blood. For example, a hematocrit of 38 means that 38% of the blood's volume is made of red blood cells.

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774 views2 pages

Hematocrit Insights for Medical Professionals

Hematocrit (HCT, or packed cell volume, PCV) is defined as: “The ratio of the volume of RBCs to the volume of whole blood.” This test measures the amount of space that RBCs take up in the blood. Its value is given as a percentage of RBCs in a volume of blood. For example, a hematocrit of 38 means that 38% of the blood's volume is made of red blood cells.

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Hematocrit:

1. Definition:
Hematocrit (HCT, or packed cell volume, PCV) is defined as:

The ratio of the volume of RBCs to the volume of whole blood.


This test measures the amount of space that RBCs take up in the blood. Its value is given as a percentage of RBCs in a volume of blood. For example, a hematocrit of 38 means that 38% of the blood's volume is made of red blood cells.

2. Normal ranges:
Normal range for hematocrit is different between the sexes. HCT is approximately 45 - 52% for men and 37 - 48% for women.

3. Significance:
The value of hematocrit with that of hemoglobin are two major tests that show if anemia or polycythemia is present.

4. Measurement methods: I. Manual method:


The packed cell volume (PCV) can be determined by centrifuging heparinized blood in a capillary tube (also known as a microhematocrit tube) at 10,000 RPM for five minutes. This separates the blood into layers. The volume of packed red blood cells divided by the total volume of the blood sample gives the PCV. Because a tube is used, this can be calculated by measuring the lengths of the layers.

II. Automated method:


With modern lab equipment, the hematocrit is calculated by an automated analyzer and not directly measured. It is determined by multiplying the red cell count by the mean cell volume:

HCT = RBC count X MCV

5. Result interpretation:
A low hematocrit is referred to as being anemic. There are many reasons for anemia. Some of the more common reasons are: o Loss of blood (traumatic injury, surgery, bleeding colon cancer), o Nutritional deficiency (iron, vitamin B12, folate), o Bone marrow problems (replacement of bone marrow by cancer, suppression by chemotherapy drugs, kidney failure), and o Abnormal hematocrit (sickle cell anemia). Hematocrit is elevated in the following conditions: a) Polycythemia vera (PV), a myeloproliferative disorder in which the bone marrow produces excessive numbers of red cells. b) Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other pulmonary conditions associated with hypoxia may elicit an increased production of red blood cells. This increase is mediated by the increased levels of erythropoietin by the kidneys in response to hypoxia. c) Dehydration: Dehydration produces a falsely high hematocrit that disappears when proper fluid balance is restored. d) Higher than normal hematocrit levels can be seen in people living at high altitudes and in chronic smokers.

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