ABSTRACT
Complete blood counts are recommended in the laboratory evaluation of every sick patient, every pre-anesthetic evaluation, every senior/geriatric profile, and as a recheck test for patients previously diagnosed with erythrocyte, leukocyte, or platelet abnormalities. ® Note that the definition of sick includes those patients with vague histories such as: – Not eating well – Unwilling to play – Has less energy
® Erythrocyte, leukocyte, and platelet abnormalities should be evaluated prior to anesthesia for several important reasons: – Anemic patients are more prone to tissue hypoxia, which increases the likelihood of anesthetic complications.
