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An evaluation of your health
WHITE BLOOD CELLS (LEUKOCYTES)
There are various types
of white blood cells and each type fights a a different pathogen The most important groups are: lymphocytes (including CD4 cells) that combat viruses neutrophils that combat microbes and eosinophils that combat parasites RED BLOOD CELLS (HAEMOGLOBIN OR Hb)
To function well your body needs sufficient oxygen Red blood cells facilitate the absorption of oxygen If you have insufficient red blood cells then you are anaemic You get tired easily When a a person is anaemic tests are done to find out why: Are they not producing enough red red blood cells? Are the red red blood cells being destroyed? Or can it be due to blood loss bleeding in in the digestive tract for example? To answer these questions things like MCH are monitored These things are often monitored automatically in a a blood test to establish the red blood cell count even when the person’s not anaemic PLATELETS (THROMBOCYTES) These are the smallest cells in the blood They play an important role in preventing blood loss by coagulating the blood PLASMA
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