Final answer:
To determine the presence and severity of anemia, physicians would order hemoglobin and hemoglobin and hematocrit tests. These assess RBC quantity, hemoglobin concentration, and hematocrit levels. Platelet tests are not specific to diagnosing anemia, which may result from insufficient RBC production, excessive loss, or elevated destruction. The correct option is D .
Step-by-step explanation:
The physician trying to diagnose anemia in a patient would specifically order a hemoglobin (Hgb) test and a hemoglobin and hematocrit (H&H) test. These tests provide critical information about the presence and severity of anemia by quantifying the number of red blood cells (RBCs), their hemoglobin content, and the proportion of blood volume occupied by red blood cells (hematocrit). A red blood cell (RBC) count is included as part of the complete blood count (CBC) and contributes to the diagnosis, but is not the only test required. Platelet (PLT) tests, while important for evaluating other blood disorders, are not specifically used to diagnose anemia.
Anemia is a condition in which there are not enough red blood cells or hemoglobin to transport oxygen efficiently around the body. Symptoms like fatigue, lethargy, and shortness of breath arise because tissues and organs do not receive adequate oxygen. Diminished RBC production, excessive blood loss, or high rates of RBC destruction can lead to anemia, affecting over 3.5 million Americans. The kinetic approach looks at the dynamics of RBC production and destruction, while the morphological approach examines RBC size and shape, informing about the different types of anemia, which could be normocytic, microcytic, or macrocytic, and whether there is a production problem (assessed by reticulocyte counts).
Conditions like sickle cell anemia, iron deficiency anemia, and vitamin deficiency anemia are a result of impaired RBC production. Conversely, diseases like polycythemia, where there is an increased number of RBCs, present a different set of health risks, such as elevated blood viscosity.