Healthbeautyidea.com | What is Hematocrit In Blood Test? Hematocrit is the number of red blood cells in the blood so by doing a hematocrit examination, we will get the results of a comparison of the number of red blood cells (erythrocytes) to the volume of blood in units of percent.
We know that red blood cells are essential for health. Red blood cells have a vital role because they are responsible for transporting oxygen and nutrients to various locations in the body. In order for the body to always maintain health, then our body needs a sufficient proportion of red blood cells as a standard of normal values.
Therefore, when a person has too little or too much erythrocytes, it will cause various symptoms or physical complaints, the doctor can observe the signs and to ensure that, then he will recommend a hematocrit examination abbreviated as Ht.
What is Hematocrit In Blood Test?
The hematocrit test (Hct) is a test that compares the proportion of red blood cells to the volume of all components of the blood (red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and blood plasma) itself simultaneously.
The hematocrit test is part of a complete blood count, and the results are expressed in percentage form. For example, a hematocrit value of 40% means that there are 40 milliliters of red blood cells in 100 milliliters of blood. Hematocrit tests are common for testing anemia, leukemia, and malnutrition.
Hematocrit test procedures
Actually, in the preparation of hematocrit examination procedures do not require any special preparation. However, if the health officer needs some other examinations and needs more blood samples, it is possible that you will need to fast for several hours before the test is done.
Before the hematocrit test is carried out, of course the doctor needs to take a certain amount of the patient’s blood that is considered as a sample. This sample, then tested through a complete blood test. In the process of taking blood, a syringe will be injected into the vein in the patient’s arm only after which the doctor can perform testing
- At the beginning of the process, it is the laboratory officer who will carry out the sampling of red blood cells. First, the lab officer will finger the patient’s arm so that veins can be found (what is needed here is the most prominent vessel). In general, the injected veins are in the back of the hand or elbow.
- The use of tourniquets or special rubber bands could be utilized by officers who inject needles because this is considered to facilitate the task. The process of taking blood is sometimes not as easy as we know and imagine, then this special rubber band is as a support where the placement is at the top of the vein that has been targeted.
- Lab officials will determine which point the blood cell samples will be taken. Officers are also required to clean the area first using antiseptic liquid. Alco**hol is the most commonly used where it is also one of a kind antiseptic liquid, not to forget also with cotton balls for the cleaning process.
- Once cleaned, the officer is ready to insert or inject the needle into the blood vessels. The blood samples will finally be collected in the injection tube in just a few seconds. If the officer feels that the number of samples has been met, then the tourniquet will be released. The needle is then closed using gauze and bandages to prevent and stop bleeding.
- This hematocrit test has a procedure that is not so comfortable for the patient that it is necessary to be careful. In this case, usually when the needle has pierced the skin, it will feel like being bitten by an ant, but there are also a number of patients who will be dizzy and feel limp from seeing the appearance of blood. Even small bruises will appear and in a few days will fade.
- The examination was not long because it was only a few minutes. After the test, the patient can do his activities again, while blood samples are sent for analysis to the laboratory.
- A centrifuge is a tool used in the process of hematocrit evaluation after injection and sampling of patients’ blood cells. Perhaps the name of the tool is quite foreign; Centrifuge is a machine that rotates very quickly where its task as a separator of the components and contents of the blood. Anticoagulants are usually added specifically by lab officers with the aim of preventing blood clotting.
- After that, the officer will take a test tube from the centrifuge and get results in 3 parts, namely anticoagulants, red blood cells, and fluid in the blood or plasma. It would be easy to see the movement of red blood cells down or settle at the bottom. Officers will compare the number of red blood cells with the blood in the total volume in the tube.
