Treatment FAQ

how high do red blood count have to be before starting treatment?

by Jaquelin Larson Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
image

Rising ALC with an increase of more than 50% over a 2-month period or a lymphocyte doubling time (LDT) <6 months. If ALC is <30,000, LDT should not be used as the only criterion for beginning treatment. The last indication for treatment, namely a rapidly rising ALC is controversial.

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. Additional tests will help your healthcare provider determine the cause of your high red blood cell count and next steps in your care.Apr 25, 2022

Full Answer

What are normal red blood cell counts?

Normal red blood cell counts are: For men, 4.7 to 6.1 million red blood cells per microliter of blood For women, 4.2 to 5.4 million red blood cells per microliter of blood

How is a high red blood cell count treated?

How is a high red blood cell count treated? If a medical condition is causing a high red blood cell count, your doctor may recommend a procedure or medication to lower it. In a procedure called a phlebotomy, a health professional inserts a needle into your vein and drains blood through a tube into a bag or container.

What does a high red blood cell count mean?

Doctors measure your red blood cell count to help diagnose medical conditions and learn more about your health. A high red blood cell count means the number of red blood cells in your bloodstream is higher than normal. Normal red blood cell counts are: For men, 4.7 to 6.1 million red blood cells per microliter of blood

What is a normal hemoglobin level after chemo?

The normal hemoglobin value for patients receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy is 8 to 10. After chemotherapy or radiation therapy, the bone marrow does not make new red blood cells as fast. With fewer red blood cells, anemia (low hemoglobin) results.

image

Should I worry if my red blood cell count is high?

A high red blood cell count can be a sign of: Dehydration. Heart disease. Polycythemia vera, a bone marrow disease that causes too many red blood cells to be made.

What is the acceptable range for red blood cells?

Women usually have a lower RBC count than men, and the level of red blood cells tends to decrease with age. 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.

What is considered a high RDW?

A high RDW (over 14.5%) means that the red blood cells vary a lot in size. A normal RDW is 11.6 to 14.6%, but researchers from the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute found that patients with a RDW level greater than or equal to 12.9% had an increased risk for depression.

What level of hemoglobin is dangerously high?

The threshold for a high hemoglobin count differs slightly from one medical practice to another. It's generally defined as more than 16.6 grams (g) of hemoglobin per deciliter (dL) of blood for men and 15 g/dL for women.

What are the symptoms of high red blood cell count?

If you have a high RBC count, you could experience symptoms such as:fatigue.shortness of breath.joint pain.tenderness in your palms or soles of your feet.itching skin, particularly after a shower or bath.sleep disturbance.

Is 16.3 RDW high?

RDW level on admission was considered “high” if it were greater than the 95th percentile per the normal interval of the institution's laboratory (16.3%), and “normal” if ≤16.3%.

What does RDW of 15.9 mean?

A normal range for red cell distribution width is 12.2 to 16.1 percent in adult females and 11.8 to 14.5 percent in adult males. If you score outside this range, you could have a nutrient deficiency, infection, or other disorder. However, even at normal RDW levels, you may still have a medical condition.

How do you fix high RDW?

How to lower RDWEating a balanced diet: A nutritious diet can help prevent deficiencies of iron, folate, and vitamin B12, which contribute to raised RDW levels. ... Stopping smoking: People who smoke have elevated RDW . ... Avoiding alcohol: Excessive alcohol can damage RBCs and decrease vitamin B12 and folate absorption.More items...

How to reduce red blood cell count?

1. Medical Treatments. Phlebotomy is the quickest and simplest way of reducing your red blood cell count, and it may be recommended if you have a history of blood clots. Phlebotomy involves removing about a pint of blood at a time, similar to the procedure used for blood donation.

What causes high red blood cell count?

In primary polycythemia, abnormalities in the production of red blood cells cause a high red blood cell count. The cause of secondary polycythemia is the result of external factors such as sleep apnea, hypoxia, and certain tumors, affecting red blood cell production. 1.

What is the difference between erythrocytosis and polycythaemia?

Polycythaemia is an abnormally high concentration of hemoglobin in the blood through an increase in red cell numbers, whereas erythrocytosis only refers to a documented increase of red cell mass. The number of red cells you have varies according to sex and age. Women have lower levels than men and newborn babies often will have more than adults.

What is a primary polycythemia?

Primary polycythemias are abnormally high levels of red blood cell precursors resulting from inherited or acquired genetic mutations. This category also includes polycythemia vera, and primary familial and congenital polycythemia.

Why does EPO cause red blood cells to increase?

A lack of oxygen or secreting tumor can cause your body to make more of the hormone erythropoietin, and high levels of EPO can prompt your body to make more red blood cells than normal. Chronic hypoxia.

Why do people with high altitudes have high red blood cells?

At high altitudes, increased red blood cell production occurs in order to compensate for the low oxygen levels and low level tissue oxygenation. Certain tumors often release increased amounts of erythropoietin.

What is the normal blood cell count for a newborn?

Adult females: 4.2 to 5.0 million/microliter. Children: 3.8 to 5.5 million/microliter. Newborns: 4.8 to 7.2 million/microliter. Pregnancy: Slightly lower than normal adult cell counts. If you exceed the upper limit of your range, you may have a high blood cell count.

What are red blood cells?

Red blood cells or erythrocytes are cells without a nucleus that circulate in the blood.

What is considered a high red blood cell count?

High red blood cell count or erythrocytosis is when the number of red blood cell count exceeds a certain level.

What are the symptoms of high red blood cell count?

High red blood cell count doesn’t always show symptoms. You can have elevated red blood cell count for months or years without noticing it.

How to diagnose high red blood cell count?

Usually, doctors perform a complete blood count test (CBC test) to analyze your number of red blood cells.

Can dehydration cause high red blood cell count?

Yes dehydration increases the number of red blood cells. The number of red blood cell will also be more concentrated.

What percentage of newborns have high red blood cells?

Share Your Story. One percent to five percent of newborns can have a high red blood cell count (neonatal polycythemia). Polycythemia is an increased number of red blood cells in the blood. In polycythemia, the levels of hemoglobin (Hgb), hematocrit ( Hct ), or the red blood cell (RBC) count may be elevated when measured in the complete blood count ...

Why do red blood cells produce more red blood cells?

This results in more red blood cells being produced in response to what the tissues in the body perceive as an inadequate oxygen level. The outcome is more circulating red blood cells.

Why does hemoglobin have a higher affinity for oxygen than carbon monoxide?

Therefore, when carbon monoxide molecules attach to hemoglobin, polycythemia (increased red cell and hemoglobin production) may occur in order to compensate for the poor oxygen delivery by the existing hemoglobin molecules.

How long does polycythemia last without treatment?

The outlook for primary polycythemia without treatment is generally poor, with a life expectancy of about 2 years. However, with phlebotomy alone, many patients lead normal lives and enjoy a normal life expectancy. The outlook for secondary polycythemia is largely dependent on the main cause.

How do you know if you have polycythemia vera?

Symptoms of polycythemia vera can be vague and quite general. Some of the important symptoms include: Easy bruising. Easy bleeding. Blood clot formation (potentially leading to heart attacks, strokes, blood clots in the lungs [ pulmonary embolism ]). Bone and joint pain ( hip pain or rib pain). Headache.

What is the blood cell type in polycythemia vera?

In polycythemia vera, usually other blood cells are also affected, represented by an abnormally high number of white blood cells (leukocytosis) and platelets (thrombocytosis). Bone marrow examinations ( bone marrow aspiration or biopsy) are sometimes necessary to examine blood cell production in the bone marrow.

What causes increased red blood cells in response to Epo?

Levels of other types of blood cells (white blood cells and platelets) are also often increased in this condition. Primary familial and congenital polycythemia (PFCP) is a condition related to a mutation in the EPOR gene and causes increased production of red blood cells in response to Epo.

image
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9