Bio 142 Chapter 17 Short Answer – Flashcards
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Cancer patients being treated with chemotherapeutic drugs designed to destroy rapidly dividing cells are monitored closely for changes in their red and white blood cell counts. Why so?
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The patient is being monitored closely for changes because, with some chemotherapy drugs there is a decrease in blood cells, so they want to watch the red blood cells to see if the patient is anemic, and the white blood cells to see if they have enough to ward off infections
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Mary Healy, a young woman with severe vaginal bleeding is admitted to the emergency room. She is three months pregnant, and the physician is concerned about the volume of blood she is losing. (a) What type of transfusion will be probably be given to this patient? (b) What blood tests will be performed before starting the transfusion?
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(a). The type of blood transfusion that will most likely be given to Ms. Healy is a whole blood transfusion. (b). Test that will be performed before Ms. Healy is blood typing and an Rh factor
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A young child is diagnosed as having acute lymphocytic leukemia. Her parents cannot understand why infection is a major problem for Janie when her WBC count is so high. Can you provide an explanation for Janie's parents?
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Although Janie's WBC is high, they are nonfunctional and cannot defend her body in its usual way and this may be the cause of her infections
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Mrs. Ryan, a middle-aged woman, appears at the clinic complaining of multiple small hemorrhagic spots in her skin and severe nosebleeds. While taking her history, the nurse notes that Mrs. Ryan works as a rubber glue applicator at a local factory. Rubber glue contains Benzene, which is known to be toxic to red marrow. Using your knowledge of physiology, explain the connection between the bleeding problems and Benzene.
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The petechiae on Mrs. Ryan skin says that she has a deficiency in the number of circulating platelets called thrombocytopenia, which causes bleeding from small blood vessels all over the body. Thrombocytopenia can arise from any condition that destroys red blood marrow, such as the Benzene in the rubber glue at her work place
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Jenny, a health young woman, had a battery of tests during a physical for her new job. Her RBC count was at the higher end of the normal range at that time, but four weeks later it was substantially elevated beyond that. When asked if any circumstance has changed in her life, she admitted to taking up smoking. How might her new habit explain her higher RBC count?
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Smoking causes low blood oxygen levels, which is the reason why her RBC count is continuously rising.
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Alan Forsythe, a middle-aged college professor from Boston, is in the Swiss Alps studying astronomy during his sabbatical leave. He has been there for two days and plans to stay the entire year. However, he notices that he is short of breath when he walks up steps and tires easily with any physical activity. His symptoms gradually disappear, and after two months he feels fine. Upon returning to the United States, he has a complete physical exam and is told that his erythrocyte count is higher than normal. (a) Attempt to explain this finding. (b) Will his RBC count remain at this higher-than-normal level? Why or why not?
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The condition described could be secondary polycythemia,which occurs when one is living at high altitudes. The RBC increases due to overproduction of RBCs. This type of polycythemia is reversible.
