Physiology · Haematological System · Medium
Haematocrit
Meaning: The percentage of blood volume made up of red blood cells.
In practice: Her haematocrit was raised after days of vomiting and dehydration.
Word parts
- haema- means blood
Many medical words are built from Greek and Latin parts like these, so learning a few helps you work out new terms.
Quick check
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Which word means: A hormone made by the pineal gland in darkness that helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle.
Answer: Melatonin
Which word means: The breaking of large fat droplets into smaller ones by bile salts, aiding digestion by lipases.
Answer: Emulsification
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