Hematocrit

The hematocrit (Ht or HCT) and packed cell volume (PCV) are measures of the proportion of blood volume that is occupied by red blood cells. It is normally between 0.42 and 0.52 for males and between 0.36 and 0.48 for women[1]. Packed cell volume diagram The packed cell volume can be determined by centrifuging. Heparinized blood in a capillary tube (also known as a microhematocrit tube) is typically centrifuged at 10,000 RPM for five minutes.[2] This separates the blood into layers ...