APCVS Week 3: Blood Components and Disorders

Course Information

• Course: APCVS
• Week: 3 (Chapter 24)

Objectives

• List and describe components of the blood
• Discuss blood types (ABO/Rh)
• List and discuss types of anemia
• Identify common disorders associated with the cardiovascular system (e.g., anemia, hemophilia, clotting disorders, leukemia)
• Blood pressure demonstration & discussion
• Focus textbook readings on pages 608-614, 619-622

Blood

• Type of connective tissue composed of blood cells and formed elements
• Plasma: Fluid portion of blood
• Serum: Plasma without clotting factors
• Blood volume: Approximately 5 liters in average adult
• Hematopoiesis: Formation of blood cells primarily in bone marrow

Red Blood Cells (RBCs) - Erythrocytes

• Formed in red bone marrow
• Mature RBCs lack nuclei but contain hemoglobin
• Hemoglobin function: Carries oxygen from lungs to body cells
• Lab tests: RBC count (average 4.0-6.5 million per cubic mm) is used to detect anemia

RBC Formation

• Two million RBCs are produced every second

Blood Composition

• Plasma: Liquid part of blood
• Formed elements: Cells (RBCs, WBCs, platelets)
• Erythrocytes: Red blood cells, carry oxygen and carbon dioxide
• Leukocytes: White blood cells, fight infection
  • Granulocytes (containing granules):
    • Neutrophils: Kill bacteria, clear granules
    • Eosinophils: Parasitic infections, red-orange granules
    • Basophils: Inflammation, dark purple granules
  • Non-granulocytes (lack granules):
    • Lymphocytes:
      • T cells: In Thymus, T-killer, T-helper, T-memory
      • B cells: Become plasma cells, produce antibodies
    • Monocytes: Clean up debris, bacteria, dead cells
• Platelets (thrombocytes): Help stop bleeding, clot formation

WBC Formation

• White blood cells (leukocytes) fight infection
• Lab tests: WBC count (5,000-11,000 per cubic mm) detects infection

Common Disorders - Anemia

• Abnormally low number of red blood cells
• Causes: Decreased production by bone marrow, increased destruction (hemolysis), blood loss, dietary deficiencies
• Types:
  • Iron deficiency: Low iron causing decreased hemoglobin production. Reduced oxygen transport.
  • Vitamin deficiency (pernicious anemia): Vitamin B12 deficiency impacts hemoglobin production. Larger-than-normal red blood cells
  • Hemolytic: Premature destruction of red blood cells by antibodies.
  • Genetic: Sickle cell disease (inherited). Crescent shaped red blood cells leading to blockages/crises.
  • Aplastic: Bone marrow fails to produce enough blood cells.

Common Disorders – Sickle Cell Anemia

• Caused by sickling (malformation) of red blood cells.
• Serious, life-threatening, inherited condition.
• Physical pain is a symptom

Aplastic Anemia

• One of deadliest and rarest anemia forms.
• Failure of bone marrow to produce blood cells.
• Bone marrow replaced with fat cells

Anemia Types (summary/listing)

• None provided in material.

Symptoms of Anemia

• Central: Fatigue, dizziness, fainting
• Blood vessels: Low blood pressure
• Heart: Palpitations, rapid heart rate, chest pain, angina, heart attack
• Spleen: Enlargement
• Skin: Pale, yellowing
• Eyes: Yellowing
• Respiratory: Shortness of breath
• Muscular: Weakness
• Intestinal: Changed stool color

Symptoms of Sickle Cell Anemia

• Pain in abdomen, joints, bones
• Infections
• Heart failure

Symptoms of Aplastic Anemia

• All general symptoms of anemia. Blood loss internally and externally; bleeding in mucous membranes. Infection is likely.

Treatment - Anemia

• Treatment depends on type and cause
• Deficiencies (e.g., vitamin B12 injections, oral dietary supplements)
• Hemolytic or Aplastic anemia: Elimination of specific medications.
• Blood transfusion
• Analgesics; antibiotics; general care.

Hemophilia

• Inheritance pattern via family tree (pedigree)
• X-linked recessive disorder, affecting primarily males.

Leukemia

• Cancer in blood and bone marrow
• Characterized by uncontrolled growth of abnormal white blood cells
• Classification: Acute or chronic, lymphoid or myeloid
• Symptoms: Excessive bruising, fatigue, weakness, dyspnea, bleeding in mucous membranes, bone and joint pain, abdominal pain with bleeding, weight loss, enlargement of lymph nodes, spleen, liver, frequent infections.
• Treatment: Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, bone marrow transplantation.

Coagulation and Clots

• Diseases associated with blood clots
  • MI: Myocardial infarction (heart attack)
  • CVA: Cerebrovascular accident (stroke)
  • TIA: Transient ischemic attack (pre-stroke)
  • PE: Pulmonary embolism (clot in lung)
  • DVT: Deep vein thrombosis (clot in leg/calf).
• Symptoms of these diseases vary widely.

Stroke and Mini-Stroke

• Transient ischemic attacks (TIAs): Temporary blockage of cerebral artery, decreasing blood flow to brain.
• Stroke: Complete blockage of cerebral artery, leading to brain cell death, causing permanent loss of functions.

Signs of Stroke

• Sudden weakness in face, arm, or leg
• Sudden vision loss, especially in one eye.
• Unexplained dizziness, loss of balance, or coordination difficulties
• Loss of speech or trouble understanding language

Thrombophlebitis

• Blood clots cause inflammation in veins, typically lower extremities.
• Risk factors include prolonged inactivity, increasing risk of serious health problems like pulmonary embolism (PE).
• Symptoms include redness, swelling, warmth, tenderness, dull ache/pain in affected area, red/hard/tender cord-like structure under the skin.

DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) & PE (Pulmonary Embolism)

• DVT: Blood clot (thrombus) forms in deep vein (often leg or pelvis), blocking blood flow
• PE: Clot breaks off (embolism) and floats through circulation to the lungs. Blockage of lung vessels, interrupting blood supply.

Blood Types

• ABO blood typing system
• Rh (Rhesus) blood typing system
• Compatibility: Testing donors and recipients to identify suitable blood transfusions, preventing dangerous reactions.

Transfusion Incompatibility

• Blood types that are incompatible can lead to severe complications such as clumping of red blood cells and potentially hemolysis (destruction of red blood cells).
• Symptoms include jaundice, cardiac shock, and renal shutdown.

Rh Incompatibility (Erythroblastosis Fetalis)

• Rh-negative mother carrying Rh-positive fetus.
• Antibodies production can cause difficulties in subsequent pregnancies, potentially destroying fetal red blood cells, causing jaundice and damage to red blood cells.

Blood Pressure

• Measurement using a sphygmomanometer
• Systolic: Pressure when heart beats
• Diastolic: Pressure when heart rests between beats
• Normal blood pressure range and classifications.

Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) Risk Factors

• Obesity, salt intake, inactivity, stress, alcohol consumption, genetics, smoking, low potassium/magnesium levels are all contributory factors to hypertension.

Additional Information

• Learning objectives for additional content (e.g., Define/describe different blood cells)
• Blank table for students to fill in regarding blood type antigens and antibodies
• List of different types of anemia for review
• List of abbreviations and their meanings
• Charts/tables regarding blood pressure categories and readings.