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    WBC Count

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    yaneidys perez
    A WBC count measures the number of white blood cells in the blood. A low WBC count is called leukopenia and occurs when the level is below 4500 cells per microliter. A low count can be caused by bone marrow deficiencies, cancer treatments, certain infections or autoimmune disorders. A high WBC count is called leukocytosis and may result from infections, inflammatory diseases, cancers or stress. Certain medications can also affect WBC levels.

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    WBC Count

    Uploaded by

    yaneidys perez
    142 views5 pages
    A WBC count measures the number of white blood cells in the blood. A low WBC count is called leukopenia and occurs when the level is below 4500 cells per microliter. A low count can be caused by bone marrow deficiencies, cancer treatments, certain infections or autoimmune disorders. A high WBC count is called leukocytosis and may result from infections, inflammatory diseases, cancers or stress. Certain medications can also affect WBC levels.

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    A WBC count measures the number of white blood cells in the blood. A low WBC count is called leukopenia and occurs when the level is below 4500 cells per microliter. A low count can be caused by bone marrow deficiencies, cancer treatments, certain infections or autoimmune disorders. A high WBC count is called leukocytosis and may result from infections, inflammatory diseases, cancers or stress. Certain medications can also affect WBC levels.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    142 views5 pages

    WBC Count

    Uploaded by

    yaneidys perez
    A WBC count measures the number of white blood cells in the blood. A low WBC count is called leukopenia and occurs when the level is below 4500 cells per microliter. A low count can be caused by bone marrow deficiencies, cancer treatments, certain infections or autoimmune disorders. A high WBC count is called leukocytosis and may result from infections, inflammatory diseases, cancers or stress. Certain medications can also affect WBC levels.

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    of 5

    WBC count

    A WBC count is a blood test to measure


    the number of white blood cells (WBCs)
    in the blood.
    WBCs help fight infections. They are
    also called leukocytes. There are five
    major types of white blood cells:

    Basophils

    Eosinophils
    Lymphocytes (T cells and B cells)

    Monocytes

    Neutrophils
    The normal number of WBCs in the blood
    is 4,500 to 10,000 white blood cells per
    microliter (mcL).

    LOW WHITE BLOOD CELL (WBC) COUNT


    A low number of WBCs is called leukopenia. A WBC count below 4500 is
    below normal
    One type of white blood cell is the neutrophil. This type of white blood
    cell is important for fighting infections.

    An adult with fewer than 1700 neutrophils in a microliter of blood


    has a low white blood cell count.

    If there are fewer than 500 neutrophils in a microliter of blood, the


    risk for infection becomes even higher.
    It may be due to:

    Bone marrow deficiency or failure (for example, due to infection,


    tumor, or abnormal scarring)

    Cancer treating drugs, or other medicines (see list below)

    Certain autoimmune disorders such as lupus

    Disease of the liver or spleen

    Radiation treatment for cancer

    Certain viral illnesses, such as mononucleosis (mono)


    Cancers that damage the bone marrow

    Very severe bacterial infections

    HIGH WHITE BLOOD CELL COUNT


    A high number of WBCs is called leukocytosis. It may be due to:

    Aplastic anemia
    Certain drugs or medicines (see list below)

    Cigarette smoking

    Not having a spleen, due to spleen removal

    Infections, most often those caused by bacteria

    Inflammatory disease (such as rheumatoid arthritis or allergy)

    Leukemia
    Severe mental or physical stress

    Tissue damage (for example, burns)


    There may also be less common reasons for this result.

    Drugs that may lower your WBC


    count include:

    Antibiotics

    Anticonvulsants

    Anti-thyroid drugs

    Arsenicals

    Captopril

    Chemotherapy drugs

    Chlorpromazine

    Clozapine

    Diuretics

    Histamine-2 blockers

    Sulfonamides

    Quinidine

    Terbinafine

    Ticlopidine

    Drugs that may increase WBC counts


    include:

    Beta adrenergic agonists (for example, albuterol)

    Corticosteroids

    Epinephrine

    Granulocyte colony stimulating factor

    Heparin

    Lithium

    Risks
    Veins and arteries vary in size from one patient to another, and from one
    side of the body to the other. Obtaining a blood sample from some
    people may be more difficult than from others.
    Other risks associated with having blood drawn are slight, but may
    include:

    Excessive bleeding

    Fainting or feeling lightheaded

    Hematoma (blood accumulating under the skin)

    Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)

    Alternative Names

    Leukocyte count; White blood cell count

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