What it means
The most common cell in the blood. Red blood cells are made in the bone marrowbone MAIR-ohThe soft, spongy tissue inside bones that makes blood cells.Full entry , live about 120 days, and are full of hemoglobinHEE-muh-gloh-binThe iron-containing protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen, and the blood test that measures it.hem/o bloodglobin proteinFull entry , the protein that holds oxygen and gives blood its red color. Too few red cells or too little hemoglobin is anemiauh-NEE-mee-uhA lower than normal number of red blood cells or amount of hemoglobin in the blood.a- without, lacking-emia blood conditionFull entry . The red blood cell count is part of a complete blood count (CBC).
For the nurse
Watch the RBC count, hemoglobin and hematocrit in clients who are bleeding, receiving chemotherapy or who have kidney disease, and look for signs of anemia: tiredness, pale skin, shortness of breath and a fast heart rate.
At a glance
| Abbreviations | RBC |
|---|---|
| Everyday words | red cell |
| Spanish | glóbulo rojo |
| Also written | red blood cells, RBC, RBCs, erythrocyte, erythrocytes |
Related terms
hemoglobin
The iron-containing protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen, and the blood test that measures it.
anemia
A lower than normal number of red blood cells or amount of hemoglobin in the blood.
blood transfusion
Giving blood, or a part of blood, from a donor into a person's vein.
bone marrow
The soft, spongy tissue inside bones that makes blood cells.