FBC

Question 1

What is PCV?

Answer 1

Packed cell volume

Volume percentage of red blood cells in the blood

Question 2

What is MCH?

Answer 2

Mean corpuscular haemoglobin

Mean haemoglobin quantity within the blood cells

Question 3

What is “Hb”?

Answer 3

Haemoglobin

Conc of haemogobin within the blood

Question 4

What is reticulocyte count?

Answer 4

Conc of immature red blood cells

increases in blood loss and haemolytic anaemia

Question 5

Define anaemia

Answer 5

A reduced concentration of haemoglobin within the blood

Question 6

Causes of microcytic anaemia

Answer 6

SIT

Sideroblastic
Iron deficiency
Thalassaemia

Question 7

Causes of normocytic anaemia

Answer 7

Acute blood loss Haemolytic anaemia Sickle cell

Question 8

Causes of macrocytic anaemia

Answer 8

Megaloblastic:
-↓B12 
-↓folate 
Non-megaloblastic:
- Alcohol 
- Reticulocytosis 
- Liver disease 
- Pregnancy

Question 9

Meaning of polycythaemia

Answer 9

increased concentration of red blood cells within the blood

Question 10

Causes of polycythaemia?

Answer 10

Relative polycythaemia (i.e. ↓plasma volume):
o Acute dehydration
o Chronic (associated with obesity, hypertension, alcohol excess, smoking) 

Absolute polycythaemia (i.e. ↑RBC mass):
o Primary = polycythaemia ruba vera
o Secondary = due to increased EPO (e.g. RCC) or chronic hypoxia (e.g. COPD, altitude, congenital cyanotic heart disease)

Question 11

Thrombocytopenia meaning?

Answer 11

Decrease in platelet count

Question 12

Causes of Thrombocytopenia

Answer 12

Decreased production ( bone marrow failure, aplastic anaemia, megaloblastic anaemia, myelosuppression)

Increased destruction / consumption (immune or non-immune e.g. DIC

Question 13

Meaning Thrombocythemia?

Answer 13

Increased in platelet count, either primary or secondary (bleeding, inflammation, inf, maligancy

Question 14

Why do TFT in anaemia?

Answer 14

Hypothyroidism can cause macrocytic anaemia

Question 15

Sepsis Six

Answer 15

High flow oxygen
Take blood cultures
Give IV fluids
Broad spectrum IV antibiotics
Check serial lactates
Measure urine output

Question 16

What is sepsis?

Answer 16

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that arises when the body’s response to infection causes injury to its own tissues and organs.
Septicaemia is infection of the bloodstream. Sepsis is a complication of septicaemia leading to widespread body inflammation
Common signs and symptoms include fever, increased heart rate, increased breathing rate, and confusion.

Question 17

What is serial lactate?

Answer 17

Marker for hypoxia in the blood (due to anaerobic respiration leading to lactic acid levels rising)
Predictor of multi-organ failure due to septic shock

Question 18

What is aplastic anaemia?

Answer 18

Aplastic anemia is a rare disease in which the bone marrow and the hematopoietic stem cells that reside there are damaged. This causes a deficiency of all three blood cell types (pancytopenia): red blood cells (anemia), white blood cells (leukopenia), and platelets (thrombocytopenia).

Question 19

Deficiency of all three blood cell types (pancytopenia): red blood cells (______), white blood cells (_________), and platelets (__________).

Answer 19

Deficiency of all three blood cell types (pancytopenia): red blood cells (anemia), white blood cells (leukopenia), and platelets (thrombocytopenia).