This content does not have an English version. Regular blood sampling can be done to reduce the number of red blood cells. Your Login details are incorrect. Another therapy for the condition is phlebotomy, through which the hematocrit level is reduced to normal levels by drawing blood out of the patient with a needle. Stop smoking, especially if you have COPD or pulmonary fibrosis. Polycythaemia, also known as erythrocytosis, means having a high concentration of red blood cells in your blood. When polycythemia is caused by problems in the process of RBC production, it's called primary polycythemia. Zhong F, et al. How to treat elevated red blood cell count? This is called phlebotomy. Your bone marrow needs iron to make hemoglobin. Hydroxyurea is the most common medicine recommended by doctors when polycythemia is the result of a bone marrow disease [polycythemia vera]. When you have a high blood count or a low blood count, it's a sign that you may be sick. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. Red blood cell count: An unrecognized risk factor for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. My mother is undergoing treatment for breast cancer Feasibility Study of Mirasol-Treated Whole Blood Red Cell Recovery and Survival, TRACS STUDY: Transfusion Requirements After Cardiac Surgery, Time and Dose Evaluation of Stearidonic Acid (SDA) to Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) in Red Blood Cells, The use of performance-enhancing drugs, such as protein injections, anabolic steroids, or erythropoietin (EPO), Hemoglobinopathies (genetic disorders that reduce the RBCs oxygen-carrying capacity, such as sickle-cell disease). Cleveland Clinics Robert J. Tomsich Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Institute touches virtually every patient at Cleveland Clinic and thousands of patients across the world. A complete blood count, also called a CBC, usually doesn't give all the answers about a diagnosis. In this procedure, a needle is inserted into your vein to draw blood into a designated container or bag. High red blood cell count can be caused by many factors like : Sometimes, a simple increase in the RBC level is possible, without it being polycythemia: smoking, obesity, hypertension, alcoholism, excessive stress can lead to an increase in this level. What is the normal range for an RBC count? Answer (1 of 3): Increase in the number of red blood cells (RBCs): Erythrocytosis. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Polycythemia or high red blood cell count is not a disease and may result from an unhealthy lifestyle or an underlying cause. Your health care provider can tell you what your complete blood count results mean. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.org," "Mayo Clinic Healthy Living," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Red blood cells or erythrocytes are cells without a nucleus that circulate in the blood. Mostly, polycythemia itself is a symptom of an underlying disease. Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press. There is much you can do on your own to manage your RBC count, staring with a balanced diet and regular exercise. EPO is a hormone that causes bone marrow to produce RBCs. https://www.uptodate.com/contents search. Accessed Dec. 4, 2015. Diagnostic tests, such as ultrasounds or electrocardiograms, can look for conditions affecting the kidneys or heart. Why Are There Red Blood Cells in My Urine? These include: Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Red blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs to body tissues. If you have this medical condition, it means that your bone marrow is producing too many red blood cells. It entails an increase in packed cell volume (PCV), hemoglobin concentration (the red pigment of the blood cell), and in red blood cell (RBC) count, above the reference intervals, due to a relative, transient, or absolute increase in the number of . Dehydration (If the liquid component of the blood (plasma) is decreased, as in dehydration, the red blood cell count increases. In most cases, anemia has more than one cause. Iron-deficiency anemia. 2013;35(3):351-357. doi:10.1111/ijlh.12082. What should be done? Last medically reviewed on February 16, 2022. Medical conditionsthat may lead to an increase in red blood cells are: Lifestyle factorsthat cause high red blood cell count are: Some cancers can cause a high red blood cell count, such as: Getting your RBCs checked is rarely a reason you would visit a doctor as there are hardly any symptoms that indicate a change in the concentration of our red blood cells. There are two types of polycythemia vera: Accessed Nov. 30, 2015. Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit organization. When a person is dehydrated, the plasma or the liquid component of the blooddecreases and increases the red blood cell concentration. In: Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. Shots of a protein known as erythropoietin. Required fields are marked *. Women: The number of red blood cells in women is between 4 and 5.4 million/mm3 with a hemoglobin of about 14 g/100 dl. There are two types of hematuria: Haider MZ, et al. A white blood cell count that's higher than usual most commonly is due to an infection or inflammation. 4. It may also be performed before a surgery. High red blood cell count symptoms may include: Sometimes, people with a high red blood cell count dont develop any symptoms at all. An RBC count is a simple blood test performed at your doctors office. 1). Our website services, content, and products are for informational purposes only. We avoid using tertiary references. A condition that limits oxygen can cause a rise in red blood cell count. You can have elevated red blood cell count for months or years without noticing it. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. Your FindaTopDoc account is completely free. Leukocytosis: definition, causes, symptoms and treatments. Is a 3.92 RBC low? Men: RBC count shouldn't exceed 6.1m/mm3. Your email address will not be published. Above this level, we consider the red blood cell count elevated. Rarely, in some kidney cancers or after kidney transplant, the kidneys might produce too much of the hormone erythropoietin. The following reference ranges are only a theoretical guideline and should not be used to interpret test results. Anemia, polycythemia and white blood cell disorders. Red blood cells are essential for life. The red blood cell (RBC) count is a test that measures the number of oxygen-carrying blood cells in your blood. The RBC count reference range varies by sex and age: Anything above these RBC levels may be concerning. Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. However, there are some cancers that can result in a high red blood cell count, including: Polycythemia vera (a rare blood cancer that causes your body to make too many red blood cells). In primary polycythemia, abnormalities in the production of red blood cells cause a high red blood cell count. Red blood cells (RBCs) can be present in your urine, whether you see pink in the toilet bowl or not. Primary erythrocytosis is when your own body causes you to produce more RBCs. A red blood cell count is a blood test that your doctor uses to find out how many red blood cells (RBCs) you have. In The Big Picture Physiology: Medical Course & Step 1 Review. Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 04/25/2022. The number of red blood cell will also be more concentrated. A high red blood cell count is generally considered to be anything above 6.1 million red blood cells for males, 5.4 million for females, and 5.5 for children. Laboratory evaluation of the immune system. 4 If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could People with anemia might feel weak or tired. This is usually due to a problem with cells in your bone marrow. Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit organization. 2014;123:615. information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with (2018). A low RBC count shows there is a decrease in oxygen-carrying cells in the blood. Review/update the Eosinophil Count: What It Is and What It Means, tenderness in your palms or soles of your feet, clean the puncture site with an antiseptic, wrap an elastic band around your upper arm to make your vein swell with blood, gently insert a needle into your vein and collect the blood in an attached vial or tube, remove the needle and elastic band from your arm, chloramphenicol, which treat bacterial infections, quinidine, which can treat irregular heartbeats, hydantoins, traditionally used to treat epilepsy and muscle spasms, gentamicin, an antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections in the blood, exercising regularly, which requires the body to use up more oxygen, reducing the amount of iron and red meat that you consume. Accessed Oct. 20, 2022. American Society of Clinical Oncology. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/files/docs/public/blood/anemia-yg.pdf. Hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells, Hematocrit, the amount of red blood cells in the blood. In: Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. There are many forms of anemia, each with its own cause. Polycythemia resulting from an unhealthy lifestyle may not require medical treatment. This is caused aplastic anemia. Loscalzo J, et al. One such condition is polycythemia vera, a bone marrow disease that causes overproduction of RBCs and is associated with a genetic mutation. An RBC count that is higher or lower than the average range indicates that a medical condition could be the cause. Sign up for our free Health Library Daily Newsletter, Red Blood Cell Count High (RBC): Causes, Symptoms and Treatment, What is Comorbidity? Red blood cell morphology. Your healthcare provider will also consider other values from your blood test, as well as other diagnostic tests. include protected health information. Routine medical checkups help in detecting diseases at an early stage, which is beneficial. Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education. Overview of the management and prognosis of sickle cell disease. Your body makes three types of blood cells white blood cells to fight infection, platelets to help your blood clot, and red blood cells to carry oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body and carbon dioxide from the body back to the lungs. All rights reserved. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. They are also called erythrocytes. 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