A complete blood count (CBC) is a common blood test used to evaluate your overall health and detect a wide range of disorders, including anemia, infection and leukemia.
The test measures:
Hemoglobin - the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells
Hematocrit - the proportion of red blood cells to plasma in the blood
White blood cells - responsible to fight infection
Platelets - help with blood clotting
A complete blood count may be done as part of a routine medical examination. Abnormal increases or decreases in cell counts may indicate an underlying medical condition that warrants further evaluation.