Importance of Red Blood Cells

What Are Red Blood Cells?

Red blood cells, or erythrocytes, are one of the components of blood. (The others are plasma, platelets and white blood cells.) They are continuously produced in our bone marrow. Just two or three drops of blood can contain about one billion red blood cells – in fact, that’s what gives our blood that distinctive red color.

What Is the Function of Red Blood Cells?

Red blood cells carry oxygen from our lungs to the rest of our bodies. Then they make the return trip, taking carbon dioxide back to our lungs to be exhaled.

Schedule an appointment

What Does a Low Red Blood Cell Count Mean?

A low red blood cell count, known as anemia, can cause fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness and other symptoms. If untreated, anemia can lead to serious complications. In many cases, anemia occurs when we don’t eat a nutrient rich diet; choosing foods that are rich in iron and other vitamins and minerals can help raise the red blood cell count. Learn about heme iron and which foods are considered rich in iron. 

Anemia can also be caused by pregnancy and certain medical conditions such as bleeding disorders and kidney disease. Talk to your doctor to determine the best course of treatment.

How Are Red Blood Cells Used in Medicine?

Red blood cells are the most commonly transfused blood component. Patients who benefit most from receiving red blood cells include those with chronic anemia resulting from kidney failure or gastrointestinal bleeding, and those with acute blood loss resulting from trauma. They can also be used to treat blood disorders such as sickle cell disease.

How Are Red Blood Cells Collected?

Red blood cells are prepared from whole blood by removing the plasma (the liquid portion of the blood). Sometimes this is done after a person donates a pint of whole blood, resulting in multiple components (red cells, plasma and platelets) that can be given to different patients. Learn more about the different components that can be obtained from a whole blood donation.  

Other times, it is done during the donation itself, using a process called apheresis. In this case, only the red cells are retained and the patient’s plasma and platelets are returned to them. Some donors say that this leaves them feeling more hydrated than giving a whole blood donation.

Red cells have a shelf life of up to 42 days, depending on the type of anticoagulant used when they are stored. They can also be treated and frozen for 10 years or more.

Why Donations Are So Important

Recent studies show that there is a need for blood transfusions every 2 seconds, all of which must be collected from volunteer donors. One powerful way to help is to donate what the Red Cross calls “Power Red.” By donating Power Red, you double your impact by contributing two units of red blood cells in just one donation.

Learn More About Blood Components

Platelets

Plasma

Red Blood Cells

Cryoprecipitate

Whole Blood

Hematocrit

White Blood Cells

Donate Power Red and help trauma patients, surgery patients, people with sickle cell anemia, and others.  

What it is, levels, high and low range

Hematocrit is the percentage of red blood cells in a person’s blood. A typical hematocrit range in healthy adults is 37–52%. This varies depending on a person’s sex and age.

Authors of a 2017 study identified the above typical range.

Low red blood cell levels indicate conditions such as anemia. High red blood cell levels could signal polycythemia, increasing a person’s chance of developing a blood clot.

If a person feels tired, dizzy, or short of breath, a doctor may want to test their hematocrit levels to see if those levels fall into a normal range or not.

Read on to learn more about what this measure of red blood cell volume means, symptoms of abnormal levels, and what low and high levels might indicate.

Hematocrit measures the percentage of red blood cells in the body. For example: if a person has 50 milliliters (ml) of red blood cells in 100 ml of blood, their hematocrit level is 50%.

Red blood cells transport oxygen around the body and give blood its characteristic red color. In addition to oxygen, they also contain hemoglobin, a protein that binds to oxygen molecules. This allows red blood cells to pick up oxygen from the lungs and deliver it throughout the body.

An adequate amount of red blood cells is essential to keep the body’s processes running smoothly.

Many conditions can affect red blood cell production or its life cycle. This can make it difficult for a medical professional to diagnose these conditions. A doctor will use a hematocrit test to confirm whether a person’s red blood cell count is affecting a health condition.

Doctors usually test hematocrit levels as part of a complete blood count (CBC).

A CBC is composed of a range of tests and may include:

• red blood cell count
• reticulocyte count (young red blood cells)
• an analysis of hemoglobin levels
• an analysis of red blood cells, including size and shape
• white blood cell tests
• platelet tests

A doctor will also consider a person’s sex, race, and age. It is important to note that certain blood-related conditions, such as sickle-cell anemia, affect particular demographic groups at higher rates.

Learn more about sickle cell anemia in African Americans here.

A doctor may request frequent hematocrit tests to monitor the effect of chemotherapy on a person’s bone marrow.

Both high and low hematocrit levels can be detrimental to a person’s health and result from various conditions and lifestyle factors.

What are normal hematocrit levels?

Different institutions will define normal hematocrit levels differently. However, a 2017 cross-population study found the following ranges to be typical.

• Male: 42-52%
• Female: 37-47%
• Children: 30–44%, depending on their age and sex

Newborn babies have high hematocrit levels that gradually decrease as they get older.

If a person has recently received a blood transfusion, it may affect their results. Additionally, pregnant individuals may have lower levels than usual because the body increases its blood volume during pregnancy.

Other factors, such as smoking and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), may push levels into a higher range.

Low levels

A hematocrit level below 35% in women and 41% in men is low. A level under this value can signify chronic anemia.

High levels

Hematocrit levels above the typical ranges can have adverse effects. It may indicate serious underlying health conditions.

Accuracy of results

Results from hematocrit tests are typically accurate and provide a clear reading of a person’s red blood cell levels.

However, the percentage of red blood cells in someone’s blood can change depending on various lifestyle factors and even environmental changes. According to research, red blood cell counts tend to increase at high altitudes.

Exercise, particularly strength training, may also affect hematocrit levels. A 2018 study found that females who participated in 16 weeks of strength exercise had lower levels at the end than when they started. However, the study had a small sample size of 26 middle-aged, sedentary Turkish women. This means that these findings aren’t necessarily representative of a wider population.

Dehydration can also raise hematocrit levels, so this test is useful if a doctor suspects severe dehydration is the cause of a person’s symptoms.

When a person has low hematocrit levels, they tend to present with the following symptoms:

• pale complexion
• weakness
• fatigue
• low energy
• trouble breathing
• irregular heartbeat
• cold hands or feet

These symptoms also indicate anemia, a condition where hemoglobin levels are lower than normal. Hemoglobin is a protein found in red blood cells that carries oxygen around the body.

Mild anemia is treatable, and it is particularly common in women. Severe anemia could signal a more serious underlying health condition that requires more extensive treatment.

Doctors associate anemia with several health conditions, including:

Nutrient deficiency

A person may lack B12, folate, or iron in their diet.

Learn more about how nutrient deficiency anemia is diagnosed and treated.

Chronic bleeding

This commonly occurs due to digestive tract ulcers, which are sores caused by the bacteria H.pylori or chronic use of anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen, other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and aspirin. Many women also experience excessive blood loss from heavy menstrual bleeding.

Bone marrow disorder

This includes aplastic anemia, which damages stem cells in bone marrow.

Cancer

These cancers spread to bone marrow, such as leukemia and lymphoma.

Learn more about bone marrow cancers here.

Kidney failure

Kidney disease can lower the production of red blood cells, reducing hematocrit levels.

Thalassemia

When a person has this condition, their body does not produce enough hemoglobin.

Learn more about thalassemia here.

Sickle cell anemia

This condition changes the shape of red blood cells. These cells die earlier than normal, and they also clump together, which impairs blood flow.

Learn more about sickle cell anemia here.

Autoimmune disease

Conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus may reduce red blood cell count.

Learn more about autoimmune diseases here.

When a person has high hematocrit levels, they tend to present with these symptoms:

• flushed skin
• dizziness
• vision problems
• headaches
• enlarged spleen

These symptoms signal polycythemia, a condition where the body produces too many red blood cells. This means blood is thicker and clots more easily.

Doctors cannot cure polycythemia, so treatment focuses on symptom management. The main goal is to avoid stroke and deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which is a blood clot usually occurring in a deep vein in the leg.

In some cases, dehydration causes polycythemia. When a person does not drink enough, their plasma levels drop, increasing the proportion of red blood cells in their blood volume. A person can lower their red blood cell count by rehydrating.

Some conditions that can cause high hematocrit levels include:

Lung or pulmonary disease

When the lungs cannot absorb oxygen effectively, and oxygen levels drop, the body compensates by making more red blood cells. One common pulmonary disease causing this is COPD.

Learn more about COPD here.

Heart disease

If the structure of a person’s heart reduces its ability to pump blood around the body, it can no longer sustain vital organs with oxygen. To try and overcome the oxygen deficit, the body produces more red blood cells.

Learn more about heart disease here.

Kidney cancer

Sometimes kidney cancer cells create more erythropoietin. Erythropoietin is a hormone that tells the bone marrow to create more red blood cells.

Learn more about kidney cancer here.

Genetic disease

The JAK2 gene, which controls the number of blood cells made in the bone marrow, can affect certain conditions. When someone has a mutated JAK2 gene, the body could make a protein that signals the bone marrow to create more red blood cells than it needs.

Learn more about genetic disorders here.

A person should speak with a doctor if they are experiencing any of the symptoms listed above that could be a sign of high or low hematocrit levels, including fatigue, weakness, vision problems, and dizziness.

These symptoms can also indicate an underlying condition, so a person must contact a doctor promptly to prevent future complications.

If a person is receiving chemotherapy treatment, a doctor should perform regular hematocrit tests to monitor bone marrow health.

Hematocrit is the percentage of blood cells in a person’s blood volume. A doctor may test an individual’s hematocrit level due to certain symptoms.

A low hematocrit level means there are too few red blood cells in the body. In these cases, a person may experience symptoms that signal anemia. Common symptoms include fatigue, weakness, and low energy.

If a person has too many red blood cells, they have a high hematocrit level. A person may experience dizziness and headaches, which can be a sign of the condition polycythemia.

Demographic and lifestyle factors can influence a person’s hematocrit levels. For example, males tend to have higher levels than females. Pregnant individuals can experience a decrease in hematocrit levels, and strength training may also reduce levels.

There are also several health conditions that can cause hematocrit levels outside the normal range. Excessive bleeding, thalassemia, and kidney disease are causes of low levels. COPD and sickle cell anemia can cause high levels.

Read this article in Spanish.

Bitrix 24 online chat

04/21/2019
13116 CRM training

Bitrix24 is primarily a corporate portal, so it has many components, including an important component necessary for communication between company employees – online chat.

The chat panel in Bitrix24 is located on the right side of the desktop:

This panel displays all the latest chats that you have participated in before. To remove unnecessary chats, you need to open the chat window, right-click on the chat you want to remove, and click “Hide Conversation”.

There are two types of online chats in Bitrix24: tête-à-tête and group. The latter, in turn, are divided into open and closed chats. Anyone can join open group chats, while closed ones can be accessed only by invitation.

One-on-one chat is for direct communication between two employees. To start it, you need to click on the pencil icon at the top of the chat window and select the “One-on-one chat” item.

If you want to create a group open or closed chat, you need to select the appropriate item from the drop-down menu in the same place. You can also always add one-on-one colleagues to the chat, and the chat will turn into a group private chat automatically.

In the chat itself, you can attach files, both stored on your computer and in your Bitrix24 cloud space. It can be a file of any format.

You can also mention any employee in the chat using a special button or the “@” symbol

You can also use chat commands using a special button or simply by entering the “/” symbol. Several commands are available, for example, you can format the text as a quote:

For emotional coloring, you can use built-in emoticons or GIF animations.

For operational communication, there is the possibility of voice and video calls up to 8 people in the chat.

You can turn off notifications in a specific chat so that you do not disturb, just click on the bell in the upper right corner of the chat window:

If the communication is long, and you need to find something among hundreds of messages, then you can use the built-in search for this:

There you can also erase the entire history of messages, but it will be erased only for you, the rest of the history will be preserved:

You can also manipulate the messages themselves in the chat. For example, you can mark someone else’s message as unread, quote a message, create a task for yourself based on the message, discuss this message in another chat, or discuss the message in a live feed.

If the message is yours, you can edit or delete it.

Thus, the online chat tool in Bitrix24 allows you to completely transfer the communication of your employees to the corporate portal and refuse to communicate in third-party services.

Vladimir Bezukov
Head of the company

TWIN — Development of voice and chat bots

TWIN is an omnichannel platform for efficient and cost-effective automated customer communications. Voice and chat bots, a chat platform, a mailing service and a widget for the site – so as not to miss a single lead.

To learn more

Voice bots TWIN.

VoiceBot

Speak to your customers in natural language, recognizing intentions and emotions. Flexible dialogue scenarios and realistic voices. Ideal for cold calls or post-sales surveys.

More about voice bots

Bots work in a variety of communication channels – from phone to SMS, from email to instant messengers and social networks – and can seamlessly switch between them while maintaining the history of the dialogue.

More about chatbots

Chat platform TWIN.Chat

A single operator panel for convenient management of hundreds of dialogs in any channels of your communication with the market. Saving all dialogues and detailed analytics.

How it works

Communicate with website visitors and don’t lose a single lead. Connect the bot during non-working hours and serve customers on the site around the clock.

How to get the widget

Expand Your Funnels

All TWIN products are easily integrated with all popular CRMs. And also with instant messengers, social networks, Google spreadsheets and even Avito and ChatGPT.

What are the integrations

Capitalize on the rapidly growing AI bot market. Sell ​​TWIN franchise products in your city.

Franchise TWIN

Become a TWIN Product Specialist

Get trained, certified, and build a career with your company or hundreds of top IT firms by implementing intelligent bots.

Fast start

What will new generation TWIN bots give your business?

• Intellectual dialogs according to flexible scenarios
• recognition of intentions and emotions
• Seamless switching between communication channels
• Full analytics and control KPI
• Settings without programming

Industry Solutions

See how Twin products are used in your area

Client cases

All

All cases

Opinions of our users

How hundreds of companies are growing their business by increasing and reducing the cost of
communicating with our customers using TWIN

TK KIT

products With the help of TWIN’s voice assistant, which handles approximately 65% ​​of all calls to 8-800, we were able to minimize the number of missed calls and eliminate the need to hire new employees, thereby reducing costs.

Solutions for an online consultant on the site were also implemented. Widgets with various channels were created for us, for the convenience of customers and to unload the contact center. In addition, we have implemented a bot for calling customers, which sells our additional services after notification of the arrival of the cargo. As a result, we have notified 100% of our customers and increased sales.

With TWIN products, we have been able to improve customer service, increase sales, and at the same time minimize costs. We are glad to work with professionals – the TWIN company.

Smirnova Alexandra Dmitrievna,
Executive Director for Customer Information Service of KIT.TK LLC

Credistory

I, as the head of customer service of OKB JSC, on behalf of the company, am pleased to express my gratitude to the TWIN team for the introduction of voice bots in the direction of remote sales.

Together with colleagues from TWIN, we have already implemented several voice bot scenarios, each of which was evaluated by financial and operational indicators. They have been successfully achieved and are constantly being improved by the joint efforts of both teams.

I am also pleased to note that the TWIN team successfully implemented the project and provided a turnkey solution in full compliance with the declared functionality and in a very short time without loss of quality.

OKB JSC recommends Uralinnovation LLC (TWIN) for cooperation, and also expresses gratitude to the launch team for the work done.

Nyuchev Sergey,
Director of the Support Department of OKB JSC

TanukiFamily

The TanukiFamily family of favorite restaurants confirms the successful use of voice bots on the TWIN platform.

In the period from 2020 to the present, three voice bot scenarios for the incoming line were configured, deep integration with the CRM system and telephony was performed as part of the configuration.

All implemented cases continue their work, the company is making plans to develop this area for outgoing calls and text communication channels.