What is the anticoagulant of choice for collecting blood for hematologic studies?

For collecting blood for hematologic studies, EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) is the anticoagulant of choice because it effectively prevents blood from clotting while preserving the cellular components of the blood for accurate analysis. EDTA works by chelating calcium, which is an essential factor in the clotting cascade. This action helps to maintain the morphology of red and white blood cells, making it particularly suitable for complete blood counts (CBCs) and other hematological evaluations.

Using EDTA ensures that the blood sample retains its cellular integrity, allowing for precise examination and measurement of various cellular elements and their functions. This is crucial in diagnosing different blood disorders and conditions effectively.

Other anticoagulants like heparin and citrate can interfere with certain tests or compromise the cellular components, leading to inaccurate results. Warfarin is primarily an oral anticoagulant used for long-term anticoagulation therapy and is not suitable for sample collection as it is not used in laboratory settings for this purpose.