The HCT and Hb values are reported as part of acomplete blood count (CBC).
If hematocrit and hemoglobin levels are below the normal range, a person is said to haveanemia.
Learn more about hematocrit and hemoglobin and what high or low values say about your health.
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What Is Hemoglobin?
Hemoglobin is an iron-containing protein in RBCs that carries oxygen and carbon dioxide.
It also gives blood its red color.
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Hemoglobin is essential for transporting oxygen from your lungs to your tissues and cells.
Without hemoglobin to enable cellular respiration, tissues and cells of the body could not survive.
What Is Hematocrit?
Hematocrit is the proportion of blood composed of RBCs, reported as a percentage (%).
The CBC requires a simple blood draw from a vein.
Results can usually be delivered within a day of taking the test.
Hb Count
The Hb count is measured with a technology known asspectrophotometry.
The value can then be mathematically translated into grams of Hb per liter of blood (g/L).
HCT
A hematocrit test is also known as a packed cell volume (PCV) test.
Sometimes hemoglobin may be low due to vitamin B12 deficiency or iron deficiency before the hematocrit becomes low.
This can lead tohemolytic anemia.
Instead, your hematocrit increases only because RBCs make up a larger proportion of the total blood volume.
2019;1450(1):126-146. doi:10.1111/nyas.14003
Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care.What does blood do?
MedlinePlus.Complete blood count (CBC).
American Society of Hematology.Anemia.
