Chapter 6: The Blood System

rho(D) immune globulin

prevents mother's body from producing Rh antibodies that might harm the fetus

blood gases

gases that are normally dissolved in the fluid portion of blood (oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen)

hemostasis

to stop or control bleeding

mechanical hemostasis

refers to the use of external means such as a tourniquet to stop the flow of blood during surgery or in an emergency

coagulation

process of blood clotting

blood

brings oxygen and nutrients to the cells and carries away waste

plasma

contains nutrients, hormones, waste products, and clotting proteins

erythrocytes (red blood cells)

transports oxygen to the tissues, produced by red bone marrow, 45% of blood by volume

leukocytes (white blood cells)

support the immune system

platelets (thrombocytes)

play an important role in the clotting of blood, smallest formed elements of the blood

chromat/o

color

coagul/o

clotting, coagulation

-emia

blood, blood condition

erythr/o

red

fibrin/o

fibrin, fibers, threads of a clot

-globin

protein

hem/o, hemat/o

blood, relating to the blood

leuk/o

white

myel/o

spinal cord, bone marrow

-oid

resembling

-penia

deficiency

phleb/o

vein

plasma, plasm/o

something molded or formed, plasma

-poiesis

to make

-stasis

maintenance of a constant level

hematologic

pertaining to the blood

albumin

main protein in the blood that helps prevent fluid from leaking out of the blood vessels into other tissues

globulins

group of proteins in the blood that play an important role in the immune system

fibrinogen and prothrombin

clotting proteins found in plasma, important for clot formation

serum

clear, pale yellow plasma fluid that remains after the blood cells and clotting proteins have been removed

hemoglobin

blood protein pigment of the erythrocytes

erythropoietin

hormone produced in the kidneys that promotes the production of erythrocytes in the bone marrow

neutrophils

formed in red bone marrow, most common type of WBC

phagocytes

a type of white blood cell that plays a major role in the immune system's defense against bacteria, viruses, and fungi by engulfing the pathogens and consuming them

basophils

also formed in red bone marrow, least common type of WBC, responsible for the histamines that cause the symptoms of allergic reactions

eosinophils

formed in red bone marrow and then migrate to tissues throughout the body, destroy parasites and play a major role in allergic reactions

granulocytes

neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, because they have small granules containing proteins

lymphocytes

includes T cells and B cells, they identify foreign substances and germs and produce antibodies that target them

monocytes

largest type of white blood cell

phagocytosis

ingestion of bacteria or other material by phagocytes

immunoglobulins

active gamma globulins that help the body attack and kill germs

megakaryocytes

large cells in the bone marrow that produce platelets

hematopoiesis

formation of blood cells

hematopoietic stem cells

immature blood cells, eventually differentiate

peripheral blood

blood circulating throughout the body

reticulocytes

red blood cells that have just been released from the bone marrow

antigen

any substance that the body regards as being foreign, sometimes triggering an adverse reaction

Rh factor

refers to the presence or absence of the Rh antigen on red blood cells

fibrin

protein that forms the basis of a blood clot

hematologist

physician who studies and treats diseases of the blood

phlebotomist

person skilled in taking blood from veins

hypercoagulable state

occurs when the blood has an increased tendency to form clots

coagulopathy (bleeding disorder)

occurs when the blood's ability to coagulate is impaired

hemophilia

a hereditary disease where blood does not coagulate to stop bleeding because a blood-clotting factor is missing

Von Willebrand disease

bleeding disorder caused by a deficiency or disfunction of the von Willebrand factor, a "sticky" protein that lines blood vessels and reacts with platelets to form a plug that leads to clot formation, impacts women

leukemia

cancer of white blood cells

acute myeloid leukemia (AML)

the most common form of leukemia in adults; develops when the bone marrow produces too many myeloblasts

chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)

most common adult leukemia

myeloid

cells growing in the bone marrow, type of leukemia

lymphocytic

bone marrow is producing abnormal, ineffective lymphocytes

lymphoma

a general term applied to malignancies affecting lymphoid tissues

Hodgkin's lymphoma

cancer of the immune system distinguished by the presence of large, cancerous lymphocytes know as Reed-Sternberg cells

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

the term used to describe all lymphomas other than Hodgkin's lymphoma

multiple myeloma

malignant tumor of bone marrow cells, second most common type of blood cancer

aplastic anemia

absence of all formed blood elements caused by the failure of blood cell production in the bone marrow

myelodysplastic syndrome

a type of cancer in which there is insufficient production of one or more types of blood cells due to dysfunction of the bone marrow

pancytopenia

condition that is characterized by lower-than-normal quantities of erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets

decompression sickness (DCS)

a condition in which gases dissolved in the blood or in other body tissues are no longer dissolved following a reduction in pressure on the body, can be caused by deep-sea diving or unpressurized air travel

carbon monoxide poisoning

a toxic condition that results from inhaling and absorbing carbon monoxide gas and the carbon monoxide builds up in the blood

hypoxia

deficiency in the amount of oxygen reaching the tissues

hemochromatosis

inherited disorder with abnormal excess of iron

hereditary spherocytosis

genetic disorder that causes the red blood cells to be spherical rather than flat

leukopenia

decrease in the number of disease-fighting leukocytes circulating in the blood

neutropenia

presence of abnormally few of the white blood cells called neutrophils

polycythemia

increased number of erythrocytes in the blood

thrombocytopenia

low platelet count

thrombocytosis

abnormally high platelet count

hemorrhage

the loss of a large amount of blood in a short time

transfusion reaction

a serious, and potentially fatal, complication of a blood transfusion in which a severe immune response occurs because the patient's blood and the donated blood do not match

anemia

low number or erythrocytes in the blood

iron-deficiency anemia

the most common form of anemia, lack of iron

megaloblastic anemia

a blood disorder characterized by anemia in which the red blood cells are larger than normal

pernicious anemia

lack of the protein intrinsic factor that helps the body absorb vitamin B12, thought to be an autoimmune disease

hemolytic anemia

inadequate number of circulating red blood cells due to the premature destruction of red blood cells by the spleen

hemolysis

destruction of red blood cells

sickle cell anemia

a genetic disorder that causes abnormal hemoglobin, resulting in some red blood cells assuming an abnormal sickle shape

thalassemia

inherited blood disorder that causes mild or severe anemia due to reduced hemoglobin

malaria

a disease caused by mosquitoes implanting parasites in the blood

sepsis

dangerous infection of the blood

blood tests

non-invasive way to evaluate the functions of organs such as the kidneys, liver, thyroid, and heart, as well to check for disease and conditions

venipuncture

puncture of a vein to remove blood, instill a medication, or start an intravenous infusion

centrifuge

machine that separates substances by whirling them, used to separate the cellular and liquid portions of blood

complete blood count

determination of numbers of blood cells, hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, and red cell values

comprehensive metabolic panel

tests in addition to basic metabolic panel for expanded screening purposes: albumin, bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, protein, ALT, and AST

basic metabolic panel

group of eight specific blood tests that provide important information about the current status of the patient's kidneys, electrolyte balance, blood sugar, and calcium levels

blood urea nitrogen test

measures the amount of nitrogen in the blood due to the waste product urea

direct antiglobulin test

used to investigate possible hemolytic transfusion reaction or whether a fetus or newborn has a hemolytic disease

blood clotting test

to determine if blood is clotting properly

blood differential test

measures the percentage of each type of leukocyte present in the blood

blood enzyme test

used to diagnose a targeted health issue by measuring the level of specific enzymes