A 68-year-old male is admitted to the hospital for emphysema. He is hypoxic and his lab tests reveal low oxygen levels. His hematocrit is 65%. The physician has told him that he has a type of polycythemia in which he has an increased number of erythrocytes circulating in his bloodstream. The patient tells the nurse that he does not understand what that means. How would the nurse explain this in terms the patient could understand?

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The Answer of A 68-year-old male is admitted to the hospital for emphysema. He is hypoxic and his lab tests reveal low oxygen levels. His hematocrit is 65%. The physician has told him that he has a type of polycythemia in which he has an increased number of erythrocytes circulating in his bloodstream. The patient tells the nurse that he does not understand what that means. How would the nurse explain this in terms the patient could understand?

A 68-Year-Old Male Is Admitted to the Hospital for Emphysema