They also produce the protein erythropoietin, which signals the production of RBCs. Your kidneys don’t just filter wastes from the blood. As a result, RBCs are low, indicated by low HCT and erythrocyte count. Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder wherein your body fails to produce enough hemoglobin, a crucial protein in the red blood cell. Get the fecal occult blood test to determine if you have chronic digestive bleeding. pylori and other similar disorders leading to internal bleeding can also expect decreased HCT in their blood test.ĭid You Know? It’s possible to experience blood loss without seeing blood in your stool, as the naked eye does not easily detect it. In the same way, those who suffer from bacterial ulcers caused by H. Women who experience excessive menstrual bleeding are likely to have low HCT. Additional blood tests are needed to verify the condition, including the anemia profile blood test. You may spot anemia through the following symptoms:Īs mentioned above, low HCT typically signals anemia, which can be due to a lack of nutrients, such as that in iron-deficiency anemia, or genetic factors like what’s causing sickle cell anemia and aplastic anemia.
The most common cause of low hematocrit is anemia, characterized by a reduced number of healthy red blood cells. To get an HCT below the normal hematocrit range (less than 41% for men and 36% for women) indicates low red blood production or a high rate of destruction, potentially due to an underlying illness. If your test result goes extremely above the normal range for HCT, your doctor may push for phlebotomy, wherein blood is extracted to reduce red blood cell count.
For example, if it’s due to dehydration, your healthcare provider may recommend rehydration therapy. Lowering your high HCT will depend on its cause. Learn more about the types of cancer diagnosed through blood testing. In some cases, these cancers are first spotted through routine exams. This can be further confirmed by additional tests, such as a red blood cell count, biopsy, MRI, etc.ĭid You Know? Several cancers can be detected by biomarkers screened through a blood test. On the other hand, kidney cancer also influences erythrocyte production since it releases the protein (erythropoietin) that prompts the process. Naturally, it also elevates your normal hematocrit levels. Although extremely rare, this blood cancer slows down blood circulation, and leads to an enlarged spleen, increased blood clotting, and other life-threatening blood-related complications. The primary cancer type that drives your bone marrow to produce excessive red blood cells is called polycythemia vera. Thus, an HCT blood test also provides additional information about your risk for cardiovascular diseases, making it a key part of heart health blood tests. As the heart cannot function fully to facilitate blood circulation, your body will counteract the said loss with increased erythrocyte production. People with heart disease are prone to high hematocrit and hemoglobin. If you have symptoms of pulmonary disorders, your doctor may order additional laboratory tests, including lung function blood tests. To compensate for the oxygen shortage, your body will produce more RBCs. Lung DiseaseĬonditions affecting lung function, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), can affect the organ’s ability to obtain oxygen. Instead, your blood has a low volume of plasma which stems from a lack of proper hydration. In this case, you may not necessarily be producing too many RBCs. If you have high HCT, you are likely to be dehydrated. It could also indicate that blood plasma is in critically low volume. If your HCT blood test result shows high hematocrit, over 50% for men and 44% for women, it suggests that you have more red blood cells or erythrocytes due to an underlying health condition. If you wish to learn more about what your blood test means, book a virtual consultation to speak to a healthcare provider.
#Normal hct levels pro#
Pro Tip: Hematocrit and other parts of the complete blood count (CBC) reveal essential information about your health.
Know more about the concerning levels of HCT and what the test results tell you when you read on. Alternatively, extremely low hematocrit results may indicate anemia or other blood disorders that affect RBC formation (erythropoiesis) or destruction (hemolysis). High HCT blood test values (usually over 44% to 50%) indicate dehydration and conditions that cause RBC overproduction. The hematocrit or HCT blood test measures the proportion of red blood cells to white blood cells, platelets, and plasma.
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