Blood volume

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Blood volume is the volume of blood (both red blood cells and plasma) in a person's circulatory system. A typical adult male human has a blood volume of some five litres ^[1]. Blood volume is regulated by the kidneys.

Blood volume (BV) can be calculated given the hematocrit (HC; the fraction of blood that is red blood cells) and plasma volume (PV):

Diagnostic technologies are commercially available to measure human blood volume. A recent radionucleotide study called BVA-100, Blood Volume Analysis is the only FDA approved instrument that provides a measure of Red Blood Cells and Plasma with 98% accuracy.

Blood volume measurement is indicated for the diagnosis and treatment patients suffering from Congestive Heart Failure, Chronic Hypertension, Renal Failure and Critical Care.

$BV = \frac{PV}{1-HC}$