Blood Values: Function & Diseases

Blood is an important component of the body. It represents a “liquid organ.” A person has an average of five to seven liters of blood. It passes through the body in a circulatory system and possesses a significant role as part of the defense system. The blood moves in a constant flow between the lungs, heart and the other organs up to the tiny vessels. In this way, the body is supplied with all vital substances and excretory products are transported to the appropriate organs.

What are blood values?

Blood values are used by doctors to further diagnose various diseases. Blood is made up of various components. White blood cells protect the body against infections and fight them when an infection has occurred. White blood cells are called leukocytes in medicine. Red blood cells are called erythrocytes and they are responsible for transporting oxygen from the lungs to the whole organism. The protein hemoglobin is a component of erythrocytes. Hematocrit is called the proportion of the volume of erythrocytes in the total blood volume. Platelets make an important contribution to blood clotting and are called thrombocytes. They ensure the closure of damaged blood vessels. Plasma is the liquid component of blood. It consists mainly of water, in which substances such as fats, proteins, glucose and salts are dissolved. In order to be able to examine blood, a blood sample must be taken. A distinction is made between capillary blood, venous blood and arterial blood.

Examine blood values (healthy and diseased blood values).

A common and simple blood test is blood sedimentation. This determines the rate at which blood cells settle in a tube. Women have fewer blood cells in proportion to the total amount of blood than men, so the blood cells sink a little faster. The normal value in men after one hour is 3 to 8 mm and after two hours 6 to 20 mm. In women, the normal value after one hour is 3 to 10 mm and after two hours 6 to 20 mm. If the sedimentation rate is increased, this may indicate acute or chronic inflammation. The small blood count determines the values of erythrocytes, leukocytes and platelets. The normal value of erythrocytes is 4.5 to 5.9 million/µl in men and 4.0 to 5.2 million/µl in women. The hemoglobin level should be 14.0 to 18.0 g/dl in men and 12.9 to 16.0 g/dl in women. The hematocrit value is 42% to 52% in men and 37% to 47% in women. The normal value of leukocytes is 4000 to 9000 million/µl. The platelet value is 140000 to 440000 million/µl. The large blood count is called differential blood count. It is an examination of the subtypes of white blood cells. The normal values of the differential blood count are neutrophil granulocytes (segment nucleated) 30-80%, neutrophil granulocytes (rod nucleated) 0-5%, eosinophil granulocytes 0-6%, basophil granulocytes 0-2%, monocytes 1-12% and lymphocytes 15-50%. Another test is the coagulation test. The Quick test shows disorders in the coagulation system. The normal value is 70 to 100%. The composition of the blood reflects the state of health of the person. For many diseases, indications are given by the values that can be measured in the blood. Blood values cannot be normalized by themselves, but a healthy lifestyle makes an important contribution to maintaining health.

Diseases

Abnormalities in blood values may indicate disease. An increase in erythrocytes is called polyglobulia. This can occur with lung disease, heart disease, or high fluid loss. A decrease in erythrocytes is called anemia. This can result from severe bleeding. If the number of leukocytes is decreased, this is an indication of infection by viruses. However, drugs can also affect leukocytes. An increase in leukocytes can be due to infestation by pathogens, parasites, bacteria or fungi. A malignant disease is leukemia. Increased platelet count can occur due to removal of the spleen, tumor disease, injury with blood loss, or infection. Decreased platelet count may result from medications, vitamin B12 deficiency, infections, or allergic reactions.