Question

After a man was found unconscious in his garage with the car motor running, he was transported to the emergency department. When blood was drawn for a complete blood count, the plasma was noted to be bright red. What kind of variant hemoglobin should be suspected?

Answer 1

The suspected variant hemoglobin in a man found with bright red blood plasma in a running-car scenario is carboxyhemoglobin, indicating carbon monoxide poisoning.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a man is found unconscious with the car motor running and his blood plasma appears bright red, the type of variant hemoglobin that should be suspected is one with high affinity for carbon monoxide (CO). CO has a stronger bond to the hemoglobin's iron than oxygen does, which prevents oxygen from binding effectively. This scenario is indicative of carboxyhemoglobin, which is a hemoglobin bound with CO. The bright red color of the plasma suggests that the hemoglobin is saturated with CO; this is a common finding in cases of carbon monoxide poisoning due to inhalation of vehicle exhaust gases in enclosed spaces.