Question

Your patient has a hematocrit of 58%. You recall your anatomy and physiology class that high hematocrits are often a sign of blood doping in athletes. But your patient is an old man suffering from the flu. What is most likely the reason for his elevated hematocrit?

Answer 1

An elderly man with a high hematocrit of 58% likely has an elevated level due to dehydration from the flu or polycythemia vera, a bone marrow disease more common in the elderly.

Step-by-step explanation:

An old man suffering from the flu with a hematocrit of 58% is likely experiencing an elevated hematocrit due to reasons other than blood doping. While high hematocrit can be a sign of blood doping in athletes, it can also indicate polycythemia. In this patient's case, dehydration due to inadequate water intake or excessive water loss from flu symptoms could be the culprit. This decreases plasma volume and subsequently increases hematocrit. However, considering the patient's age, polycythemia vera, a type of bone marrow disease that leads to overproduction of immature erythrocytes, may also be a possibility, particularly as it is more likely to occur in individuals over the age of 60.