What does it mean when red blood cells are high?
What is a high red blood cell count? A high red blood cell count is a condition called polycythemia vera. If you have this medical condition, it means that your bone marrow is producing too many red blood cells. This can result in thickening of the blood, slow flow of blood, and eventually blood clots.
Why is my red blood cell count abnormal?
A high RBC count may be a result of sleep apnea, pulmonary fibrosis, and other conditions that cause low oxygen levels in the blood. Performance-enhancing drugs like protein injections and anabolic steroids can also increase RBCs. Kidney disease and kidney cancers can lead to high RBC counts as well.
What causes deformed red blood cells?
RBCs carry oxygen and nutrients to your body’s tissues and organs. If your RBCs are irregularly shaped, they may not be able to carry enough oxygen. Poikilocytosis is usually caused by another medical condition, such as anemia, liver disease, alcoholism, or an inherited blood disorder.
What is a normal RBC count?
A normal RBC count would be: men – 4.7 to 6.1 million cells per microlitre (cells/mcL) women – 4.2 to 5.4 million cells/mcL.
Can dehydration cause high red blood cell count?
Increased red blood cell concentration Dehydration (If the liquid component of the blood (plasma) is decreased, as in dehydration, the red blood cell count increases. This is due to the red blood cells becoming more concentrated.
What is normal RBC count?
What diseases can affect red blood cells?
Illnesses affecting red blood cells:
- Iron-deficiency anemia. To make red blood cells, iron is required.
- Sickle cell anemia.
- Normocytic anemia.
- Haemolytic anemia.
- Fanconi anemia.
- Pernicious anemia.
- Thalassemia.
- Polycythemia Vera.
What is dirty blood syndrome?
Blood poisoning occurs when bacteria causing infection in another part of your body enter your bloodstream. The presence of bacteria in the blood is referred to as bacteremia or septicemia. The terms “septicemia” and “sepsis” are often used interchangeably, though technically they aren’t quite the same.