- #Low hematocrit and hemoglobin levels indicate how to#
- #Low hematocrit and hemoglobin levels indicate pdf#
(For more information on the CBC test, see this Medline page. Platelet count (Plts): how many platelets (a smaller cell involved in clotting blood) per microliter of blood.Mean corpuscular volume (MCV): the average size of red blood cells.Hematocrit (Hct): the fraction of blood that is made up of red blood cells.Hemoglobin (Hgb): how many grams of this oxygen-carrying protein per deciliter of blood.Red blood cell count (RBCs): the number of red blood cells per microliter of blood.White blood cell count (WBCs): the number of white blood cells per microliter of blood.Red blood cells are always counted as part of a “Complete Blood Count” (CBC) test, which is a very commonly ordered blood test.Ī CBC test usually includes the following results:
#Low hematocrit and hemoglobin levels indicate how to#
How to get better follow-up, if you or your relative is diagnosed with anemia.Īnemia means having a lower-than-normal count of red blood cells circulating in the blood.The most common causes of anemia, and tests often used to check for them.How anemia is detected and diagnosed in aging adults.Click here to download.Īnd since anemia is often caused by some other problem in the body, not understanding anemia often means that people don’t understand something else that is important regarding their health.įortunately, you don’t have to be a doctor to have a decent understanding of the basics of anemia.
#Low hematocrit and hemoglobin levels indicate pdf#
(I’ve so often discovered that a patient didn’t know he or she had had anemia!) Misunderstanding anemia can also lead to unnecessary worrying, or perhaps even inappropriate treatment with iron supplements.įeatured Download: What to Ask Your Health Providers About Anemia. Use this free PDF to make sure you ask key questions about your anemia condition, including what’s been done to diagnose the cause, and what the plan is for treatment. If you or your relative has this condition, it’s important to understand what’s going on and what the follow-up plan is. Still, it worries me that older adults and families don’t know more about anemia. This isn’t surprising: anemia is associated with a dizzying array of underlying health conditions, and can represent anything from a life-threatening emergency to a mild chronic problem that barely makes the primary care doctor blink. And anemia becomes even more common as people get older.īut many older adults and families hardly understand anemia. About 10% of independently living people over age 65 have anemia.
Or perhaps you noticed the red blood cell count flagged as “low” in the bloodwork report? Or noticed “low hemoglobin” in a doctor’s report?Īnemia means having a red blood cell count that is lower than normal, and it’s very common in older adults. Have you ever been told that an older relative has anemia?
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