Acute and chronic anemia continue to be associated with increased mortality in a number of clinical settings, including cardiac and non-cardiac surgery. However, "We have no clinical measures that let us know of impending insufficient oxygenation as anemia progresses" (R.B. Weiskopf). The current proposal is based on experimental and clinical data which suggest that plasma methemoglobin (MetHb) may be a sensitive biomarker of tissue hypoxia and "anemic stress" in surgical patients.