count page and what they mean to you and your health. Complete Blood Count. Your doctor will always order a complete blo
Understanding Blood Counts PMH This pamphlet is for patients at Princess Margaret Hospital.
Improving Health Through Education
Patient Education
It will help you to read and understand the blood count information you get from the blood lab.
This information is to be used for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult your health care provider for advice about a specific medical condition. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. © 2005 University Health Network. All rights reserved. Author: Charissa Cordon RN, APNE and Sarah D’Angelo, RN, APNE Edited by: Sarah McBain, Librarian, Patient Education & Survivorship Created: 01/2005 Form: D5066 10/2009
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Did you know? ·
Blood tests are an important part of your care and treatment because the tests help to show your health care team how healthy you are.
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Blood tests are done by taking a small amount of blood from a vein in your arm using a needle or using a temporary device called a central venous catheter. Your doctor might suggest that you get this temporary device to reduce the number of times you need to be pricked with a needle.
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Not every patient will get the same blood tests. Depending on your medical condition, different types of blood tests may be done.
What is a blood count? A blood count is a test that is done by a nurse or a doctor to get information about the cells in your blood. Your blood count measures the minerals, nutrients and other parts that make up your blood. Blood tests will be ordered by your doctor or nurse, during your clinic visits, follow up appointments or while you are staying in the hospital.
Why are blood counts important? Your health care team will need to review the results of your blood test(s), to get an idea of how healthy you are. Parts of your blood counts may be too high or low, because of your cancer or because of the treatments you are having for your cancer. Depending on how healthy you are, your blood counts may return to normal on their own, or you may need more treatment to make your blood counts normal again. If your blood counts are too high or too low, you and your health care team may need to do treatments to fix this before you can continue your cancer treatment.
How can I tell if my blood counts are not normal? The only way that you and your health care team can tell if your blood counts are not normal is to get a blood test and have your blood looked at in a lab.
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Some symptoms may indicate abnormal (not normal) blood counts. It is important to remember that many of these symptoms are also common sideeffects of cancer treatments: · nausea (feeling sick to your stomach) and vomiting · diarrhea · weakness · confusion · heart palpitations (your heart not beating normally) · muscle twitching · bruising · spontaneous bleeding (bleeding without a cause) · fever You should contact your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms.
Who can I ask for more information about my blood counts? If you have questions about the blood count information you are given, your nurse or (doctor) oncologist can help you understand the results.
Reading my blood count Your doctor may give you a print out of your blood count for you to keep. Use the descriptions on the next few pages to understand the symbols and numbers on your blood count page and what they mean to you and your health.
Complete Blood Count Your doctor will always order a complete blood count when you get your blood tested at Princess Margaret Hospital. A complete blood count measures these parts of your blood:
hemoglobin (HB) platelets (PLT) white blood cells (LKC) neutrophils (Neut M or Neut A)
For more information about the parts of your blood, please read the descriptions below.
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Hemoglobin (HB) This is the part in the red blood cell that carries oxygen and carbon dioxide from your lungs to cells in your body. Normal range: Males: 140180 g/L; Females: 120160 g/L For patients at Princess Margaret Hospital, blood transfusions are usually given if hemoglobin falls below 80 g/L.
Platelets (PLT) Platelets are blood cells that help your blood form clots or “plugs” so that your body can stop bleeding if you are cut, injured, or bleeding because of your cancer treatment. A low number of platelets can increase your risk of bleeding too much, which can be dangerous. Note: Notify the nurse or doctor if you notice many unexplainable bruises or bleeding that won't stop or any if you have blood in your urine. Normal range: 150400 bil/L For patients at Princess Margaret Hospital, platelet transfusions are usually given if the number of platelets falls below 10 bil/L
White Blood Cells (LKC) White blood cells may also be called leukocytes. They are the cells that fight infections in the body. White blood cells fight infections by removing bacteria and damaged or abnormal cells, such as cancer cells, from the body. Normal range: 411 bil/L³
Neutrophils (Neut M or Neut A) Neutrophils are a type of white blood cell in the body. They are the first cells that fight infection in the body. These cells may also be called "polymorphs" or "polys". Normal range: 2.07.5 bil/L
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Electrolytes Electrolytes are things in the blood that break up into “ions” when dissolved in water or body fluids. Ions are particles that carry an electrical charge. Ions help move nutrients into cells, help move waste out of cells, and help nerves, muscles, the heart, and the brain, work the way they should. Your doctor may order an electrolyte count as well as a complete blood count. If your doctor orders this test, you may see some or all of the following parts on your blood count sheet. Things that might be measured in your electrolyte counts are: calcium (Ca) creatine (Creat) magnesium (Mg) potassium (K) sodium (Na) phosphate (PO4) For more information about your electrolytes please read the descriptions below.
Calcium (Ca) About 99% of the body’s calcium is in the bones and teeth. The other 1% is in the tissues and blood. Calcium helps with absorbing vitamins, muscle contractions (flexing) and many other functions in the body. Symptoms of high calcium levels, which can also be called hypercalcemia, can be: · having no appetite · nausea or feeling sick to your stomach · vomiting (throwing up) · muscle weakness · fatigue (being very tired) · dehydration · constipation (not being able to have a bowel movement) Symptoms of low calcium levels, also known as hypocalcemia can be: · irregular heartbeat · tingling of hands, toes and lips
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irritability (feeling cranky) facial twitching Desired range: 2.202.62 mmol/L · ·
Creatinine (Creat) Creatinine levels in the blood can be used to tell how well your kidneys are working. High creatinine levels may mean that there is a problem with your kidneys. Desired range: 64110 µmol/L
Magnesium (Mg) Half of the body's magnesium is found in the bones. Magnesium is an important part of muscle contractions. Low magnesium can cause the heart to beat in a way that is not normal. Your kidneys produce magnesium so chronic kidney problems can lead to high magnesium levels. Symptoms of high magnesium levels, which can also be called hypermagnesemia, are: · · · · ·
decrease in muscle activity tiredness or weakness nausea or feeling sick to your stomach vomiting (throwing up) slurred speech
Symptoms of low magnesium levels, also known as hypomagnesemia can be: · having no appetite · swelling of the abdomen · involuntary muscle contractions · convulsions (twitching or shaking) · irregular heart beat Desired range: 0.701.10 mmol/L
Potassium (K) Potassium is an important mineral that helps your heart beat regularly. Blood potassium levels are very affected by the amount of sodium (salt) in the blood. A diet high in salt causes more sodium to be absorbed in the blood causing the potassium in the blood to go down.
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Symptoms of high potassium levels, also known as hyperkalemia, are · irritability (feeling cranky) · nausea or feeling sick to your stomach · vomiting (throwing up) · diarrhea · irregular heart rate (uneven heart beat) Symptoms of low potassium levels, which can be called hypokalemia, are · weakness · paralysis (if you are suddenly not able to move your arms or legs) · irregular heart rate (heart racing or beating slower than usual) Desired range: 3.55.0mmol/L
Sodium (Na) As the amount of water in your body goes up, the amount of sodium in your blood goes down. The body conserves sodium by getting rid of water through sweat and urine (pee). Symptoms of low sodium levels, which can be called hyponatremia, are · weakness, · confusion, · lethargy (feeling very weak and not wanting to do anything) Symptoms of high sodium levels, which can be called hypernatremia, are · thirst · agitation (feeling very cranky and upset) · restlessness · convulsions (twitching or shaking for no apparent reason) Desired range: 136145mmol/L
Phosphate (PO4) Phosphorus (phosphate) helps keep your bones and teeth strong and is an important part of how your body produces energy. Symptoms of high phosphate levels (hyperphosphatemia) are · high heart rate (heart racing) · heart palpitations (uneven heart beats) · restlessness
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nausea or feeling sick to your stomach vomiting (throwing up) Symptoms of low phosphate levels (hypophosphatemia) are · muscle weakness · fatigue (feeling very tired) · brittle bones (bones that break easily) · bone pain · confusion · seizures Desired range: 08.01.40 mmol/L · ·
Key Points § It is important to tell a member of your health care team if you experience any of the following: o o o o o o o o o
nausea and vomiting diarrhea, weakness confusion heart palpitations (if your heart beats are not even) muscle twitching bruising spontaneous bleeding (bleeding for no reason) fever (above 38 degrees)
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It is important for you to learn how to keep track of your blood counts, so that you can understand your health and how well you are doing during your treatment.
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If you have any questions regarding your blood counts, ask your nurse, doctor, or oncologist.
Note: g/L, µmol/L, mmol/L, and bil/L are units of measurement for each respective value.
References All laboratory values and drug interactions taken from: Pagana, K.D. & Pagana, T.J. (2001). Mosby's diagnostic and laboratory test reference (6th ed.).
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St. Louis, MI: Mosby. University Health Network Electronic Patient Record Lab Values Ranges (2009). Black, J. M, Hawks, J. H. & Keene, A. M. (2001). MedicalSurgical Nursing (6 th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders Company.
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