SEC S20W2 || Hemoglobina - Modulo 2

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Death of Rafael Rangel

Rafael Rangel was born in the year 1877 and died in the year 1909. He was one of the most famous scientists in Venezuela and many people called him the first-ever microbiologist in the whole of Venezuela. Rafael Rangel is best known for his contribution to the health sector due to his research in tropical diseases like parasitology precisely and his study of infectious diseases.

His contribution to public health in which he identified and studied hookworms and their impact on the population of Venezuela is what makes Rafael Range known as the greatest scientist in Venezuela. Rafael Rangel worked also on the prevention and treatment of another parasitic disease, which was common in Venezuela as of then when he was still alive.

So sad that such a great man whose contribution can never be forgotten is no more today. He died at an early age in his life which was around 32 years of age was 20 August 1909. Unfortunately, he was the one that took his life based on some life challenges surrounding his works. However, his contribution to humanity and the health sector as a whole in Venezuela and beyond can't be forgotten so easily.

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Describe Hemoglobin

freepik

Hemoglobin is known as a complex protein that is found in RealD blood cells which plays a vital role in transporting oxygen from the lungs to the rest part of our body and returning carbon dioxide from tissues back to the lungs for exhalation. It is made of four protein subunits based on its structures which are;

• Two alpha and
• Two beta chains

Each of the two aforementioned protein subunits of hemoglobin contains an ironbound heme group. Now talking about the iron in the heme group which binds to oxygen molecules, allowing hemoglobin to pick up oxygen in the lungs and then release it in tissues that need such oxygen. It helps in maintaining our pH balance by binding some of our hydrogen ions and carbon dioxide which is produced by cellular metabolism.

When there is a hemoglobin deficiency it can cause one to have medical issues like anemia or disorders such as thalassemia or sickle cell disease where the structure of hemoglobin is affected.

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Automated Hematocrit vs Manual Hematocrit

Hematocrit is simply a measure of a small portion of red blood cells in our body. I.e. a proportion of red blood cells that is expressed as a percentage (%) of the total blood volume. Automated and manual hematocrit are the two ways hematocrit is determined.

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The Automated Hematocrit

The process of the automated hematocrit includes the following

• It makes use of automated hematology analyzers, that measure hematocrit indirectly by calculating fge hematocrit from other RBC parameters like red blood cell count and corpuscular volume.

• Large sample volume is processed by the machine very fast and provides a range of other blood parameters.

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The Manual Hematocrit

The process of the manual hematocrit includes the following:

• It involves the collection of a small blood sample in a capillary tube, sealing one end, and centrifuging the collected sample.

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When it has to do with a hospital or clinic where high accuracy speed are required the automated hematocrit is best used, whereas when it comes to basic laboratory, field work, or clinic or hospital the required less accuracy speed is the manual hematocrit that is best needed. Although both are good it all depends on financial constraints.

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Explain a real-life example with the concept of hematocrit.

Freepik

Hematocrit as we have said earlier, is the proportion of red blood cells in our blood which is expressed in percentage (%). A real example of hematocrit is seen in diagnosing and managing conditions like dehydration or anemia.

Examples

Diagnosing Anemia:
A 50-year-old man goes to his doctor complaining of fatigue, weakness, and dizziness. What the doctor does for the betterment of the man is to order a complete blood count, which includes measuring hematocrit for the man. The male hematocrit level returns to 30% while the normal range for men is between 40 percent and 50 percent. This implies that the blood has fewer red blood cells than normal, pointing to anemia.

If it is anemia it could have resulted in less oxygen being delivered to his body tissues, causing the symptoms he is experiencing. Due to this, the doctor can begin to investigate the underlying cause affecting the production of red blood cells.

Dehydration

A person who is suffering from severe dehydration might have an elevated hematocrit level. This occurs because when our body loses water, the blood volume decreases, but the red blood cell count remains the same, causing the hematocrit percentage (%) to increase. For example, Someone who has been doing exercises in hot weather conditions without adequate hydration may have a hematocrit level of 55% and above whereas it should be in the range of 40% to 50% for men, which is a sign of hydration.

I am inviting: @pelon53, @simonnwigwe, and @ruthjoe

Reference

Reference