What is the significance of lower than normal or higher than normal hematocrit

The test is also used to help diagnose blood disorders such as anemia , a condition in which your blood doesn't have enough red cells, or polycythemia vera, a rare disorder in which your blood has too many red cells. Your health care provider may have ordered a hematocrit test as part of your regular checkup or if you have symptoms of a red blood cell disorder, such as anemia or polycythemia vera.

These include:. A health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm, using a small needle. After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial. You may feel a little sting when the needle goes in or out. This usually takes less than five minutes. You don't need any special preparations for a hematocrit test. If your health care provider has ordered more tests on your blood sample, you may need to fast not eat or drink for several hours before the test.

Your health care provider will let you know if there are any special instructions to follow. There is very little risk to having a hematocrit test or other type of blood test.

You may have slight pain or bruising at the spot where the needle was put in, but most symptoms go away quickly. Schrier SL. Approach to the adult patient with anemia. Types of blood tests. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Tefferi A. Diagnostic approach to the patient with polycythemia.

Hoffman R, et al. The polycythemias. In: Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice. Philadelphia, Pa. CBC with differential, blood.

Taking these nutrients in supplement form can also be beneficial. The best way to learn more about how to treat low or high hematocrit levels is to talk with your doctor or healthcare provider. Skip to main content Search for a topic or drug. What do your hematocrit test results mean? By SingleCare Team May. Davis, MD.

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What Does Hematocrit Mean? What Is a Hematocrit Level? What Is Normal Hematocrit? What Is the Difference Between Hematocrit and Hemoglobin Hematocrit and hemoglobin measurements are both blood tests but they are not testing the same thing. Hematocrit is the percentage of red cells in your blood. Hemoglobin enables red cells to transport oxygen and carbon dioxide throughout your body.