Elevated Hematocrit

Anemia is the condition where there is too little of the biological molecule called hemoglobin in the blood. Hemoglobin contains iron, which transports oxygen from the lungs to the tissues and brings carbon dioxide to the lungs. In a healthy red blood cells there are approximately 280 million hemoglobin molecules. Each hemoglobin molecule can carry four molecules of oxygen to tissues. If there is too little hemoglobin, or if the hemoglobin is abnormal, the function of transporting oxygen from the blood is reduced.

The laboratory uses different techniques for measuring hemoglobin. One technique is to place a small amount of electricity through a blood sample, and changes in current flow, it is possible to calculate the hemoglobin content. In another test, a pipette small amount of blood is spun down on a centrifuge. The per cent age of whole blood that is red blood cells is called hematocrit. Another test is to examine the red blood cells under a microscope to see if they are too big or too small. The amount of iron in the blood can also be measured. The normal hemoglobin level was 13 to 15, and a normal hematocrit is about 36-46. The values tend to run slightly higher among men than among women. So the values tend to be higher among people with chronic lung disease and certain types of heart disease.

If a doctor thinks that you are to be anemic, there are three main possible causes. The first is that you lose or have lost blood from somewhere. A second possibility is that you do not make enough blood cells. The third possibility is that red blood cells are falling somewhere in the body.

The first category includes the rapid loss of blood, eg an accident or during childbirth. Some people may lose much blood from a stomach ulcer bleeding. It usually takes a matter of time to replace the fluid in the blood system so that measurements of hemoglobin and hematocrit will be accurate. In these cases, an estimate of the loss of blood to guide the need for blood transfusion to give. There are other methods of bleeding that are slower, and better reflect in hemoglobin and hematocrit. It could be a colon polyp or colon cancer. Sometimes, stomach ulcers can bleed slowly with the only evidence being black tarry stools and laboratory abnormalities. Another could be heavy periods. Another indication of this is that in these circumstances, the cells are smaller and less hemoglobin content, which can be seen under a microscope.

The second type of anemia is when the body does not produce enough red blood cells only. As most people know, the red blood cells are produced in the bone marrow. Sometimes, the marrow can literally be sick. An example of this is called anemia of chronic disease. Sometimes there may be a cancer of the bone which reduces its ability to produce red blood cells. Alcohol when used chronically and in excessive amounts can damage the cord, as some drugs can cause low of which the production of red blood cells called aplastic anemia. Chemotherapy in particular can affect the capacity of the blood marrow. Lead, which was a major ingredient in paint, affected the marrow in children. If you have a chronic kidney disease, the kidneys are not enough of the hormone erythropoietin, which stimulates the bone marrow to produce red blood cells.

The third type of anemia is when the red blood cells are manufactured with a condition that affects their longevity and their structure. Sickle cell disease is an example of that. It is a hereditary disease where there is an abnormal hemoglobin that breaks down and causes the cells to literally take a sickle shape. It is abnormal hemoglobin disease called thalassemia when red blood cells are also abnormal. The spleen acts as a filter and real.