This nursing cheatsheet will help you learn about the components of blood. Blood is comprised of plasma and formed elements. Plasma, which constitutes 55-57% of blood, is mostly water (92%). It functions as a suspension medium for cells and substances, and transports nutrients and chemicals. Plasma contains various soluble components like plasma proteins (albumin, globulins, prothrombin, and fibrinogen), which help in maintaining osmotic balance and pH regulation. Other elements in plasma include non-protein nitrogenous substances (urea, uric acid, creatinine), organic nutrients (glucose, amino acids, lipids), hormones, water-soluble vitamins, electrolytes (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, bicarbonate, phosphate), and gases (nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide). The formed elements, making up 43-45% of blood, include white blood cells (leukocytes), red blood cells (erythrocytes), and platelets (thrombocytes).
