How high does your red blood count have to be hospitalized?

How high does your red blood count have to be hospitalized?

Treatment for abnormal red blood cell count varies based on the diagnosis and severity of the condition, including a vitamin or mineral supplement, a change in your nutrition, removal of excess red blood cells, or replacement with red blood cells from a blood donor. But the question is, how high does your red blood count have to be hospitalized?! (4)

Usually, people are not hospitalized because of a high level of RBC, except in critical conditions like polycythemia vera, where phlebotomy (bloodletting) may be needed. Initially, it may be necessary for the patient to be hospitalized and do a phlebotomy every 2 to 3 days and remove 250 to 500 milliliters of blood each session. Once the goal is reached, maintenance phlebotomy can be performed less frequently (5).

* You can enter your complete blood count test results online and get a personalized interpretation, including your condition in each test, definition, reasons for increased or decreased results, dietary and lifestyle recommendations, potential treatments, drug interactions, etc.

Red blood cells (RBCs)

Red blood cells (RBCs) are an important cell of blood. They bring oxygen to the body’s tissues in exchange for carbon dioxide, which they carry to the lungs to be expelled. We formed RBCs in the red bone marrow of bones (1).

A red blood cell count is a blood test that your doctor uses to find out how many red blood cells you have. It’s also known as an erythrocyte count. The normal range in adults is generally considered as being as follows:

· men                                    4.2 to 5.7  (×10⁶/μl)

· women                              3.8 to 5.0   (×10⁶/μl)

In children, the threshold for high red blood cell count varies with age and sex (2).

Abnormal results

Causes that contribute to low red blood cell count include:

– iron deficiency anemia

– a vitamin B6, B12, or folate deficiency

– Bleeding

– kidney disease

– bone marrow failure (for instance, from radiation or a tumor)

– malnutrition

A high RBC count could be caused by a number of health conditions or health-related factors, including:

– smoking

– congenital heart disease

– dehydration (for example, from severe diarrhea)

– low blood oxygen levels (hypoxia)

– pulmonary fibrosis (3,4)

References:

1. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/anatomyvideos/000104.htm
2. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/image?imageKey=HEME%2F127504&topicKey=HEME%2F7166&source=see_link
3. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/red-blood-count/#:~:text=A%20low%20RBC%20count%20could,to%20meet%20their%20body’s%20needs).
4. https://labtestsonline.org.uk/tests/red-blood-cell-count
5. https://www.emedicinehealth.com/polycythemia_high_red_blood_cell_count/article_em.htm