2007-03-23 12:36:23 · 6 answers · asked by Punkin 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Medicine
What is iron a major component of with regard to blood?
CLUE - it is found in RBCs
2007-03-23 12:48:14 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Very little of the oxygen circulating in our blood is dissolved. By far, most is bound to hemglobin in the blood. If there is a lack of hemoglobin, then there is no driving force for oxygen exchange in the alveoli. There will, to be sure some gas exchange, but the amount of blood passing through the alveolar capillaries will get saturated with dissolved oxygen quickly and the rest of the travel through the capillary will acquire no more oxygen. At the current level of normal hemoglobin in a healthy adult, gas exchange takes place all along the capillary/alveolar interface. This is similar but not quite as profound with CO2, because although RBCs also carry CO2, it's to a lesser extend and the diffusion capacity of CO2 is much greater (20x).
2007-03-23 19:53:12 · answer #2 · answered by misoma5 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It would not interfere w/ the actual gas exchange. However, if you are anemic, due to a low hemoglobin count, the total oxygen content in your blood could be quite low.
Total oxygen content is figured off of two things: the oxygen disolved in the blood, which as mentioned by a previous answerer, is a very small portion. It is .003 X PaO2, which can only be obtained from an arterial blood gas sample.
The larger, and more important number in regard to your question, is the O2 that is combined with the hemoglobin in your blood. This number is figured by 1.34 X Hgb X SaO2.
1.34 is the amount of O2 that the Hgb (Hgb = hemoglobin - gotten from a blood test such as a CBC, or H&H) can carry. If you Hgb level is low, then your total O2 carrying capacity of your blood will be lower than normal. A low oxygen level in the blood is called hypoxemia, and it can lead to other problems, depending on the severity. Hope that helps!
2007-03-24 03:27:41 · answer #3 · answered by mike.marlow 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, the exchange between the air sacs and the blood is a tissue crossing issue. Blood gasses can be measured. If they are not high enough, then the exchange is not operating as it should. The patient might need supplemental oxygen. Just a simple matter of losing excess weight might be all that is needed as well. There is just so much blood, and there is just some much oxygen the body can supply. If it going to useless tissue, then the rest of the body goes without. Other issues such as smoking play a role in this as well.
2007-03-23 19:46:13 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is so because that RBC s carrry oxygen and carbon di oxide.So if RBC s are less the oxygen carrying capacity will be reduced and we know that oxygen takes part in gas exchange.
2007-03-24 06:01:12 · answer #5 · answered by Jack 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It wouldn't. The diffusion of oxygen and carbon dioxide across the alveoli would not be affected. However, the total hemoglobin would be reduced and as such the oxygen carrying capacity would be reduced.
2007-03-23 20:04:31 · answer #6 · answered by Dr. Jon 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋