No preparation is required for this test. Diagnosis typically relies on a simple blood test. If you feel like you may have low hematocrit levels, consult a doctor for proper diagnosis. Signs and symptoms of low hematocrit levels would include fatigue, weakness, fainting, pallor, shortness of breath, dizziness, flushing, headaches, enlarged spleen, and extreme dehydration, when there is lack of sweating, lack of urination, and dry mouth. Low HCT levels are also found in patients with chronic kidney disease or failure and bone marrow problems and when there is suppression by drugs and chemotherapy in the case of cancer. Persons who are at risk of low HCT levels are children without adequate iron intake, children who go through rapid growth stage and their iron requirements are not met sufficiently, women during child bearing years who need more iron due to loss during menstruation, and pregnant women in that there is more need of iron to provide the additional requirement of the growing fetus.

Low HCT can be due to low blood oxygen levels, pulmonary fibrosis, and congenital heart disease, among others. Low hematocrit levels can be a sign of hemorrhage, anemia, destruction of red blood cells, malnutrition, and over hydration. HCT tests are done by doctors to verify and see signs of anemia, diet deficiency, leukemia, sickle cell anemia, or any other medical condition. If HCT levels are above the normal values, it means that the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood has increased which is good, but if it increases more than the needed amount, it can cause the blood to thicken this makes it difficult for the heart to pump blood, eventually leading to a heart attack. Although results vary slightly in different laboratories, you can always consult your doctor to know about the specific results. It is important that men and women have the required levels of hematocrit, as higher or lower levels indicate illness and other medical condition. Red blood cells are carriers of oxygen, and hematocrit levels represent the capacity of oxygen the blood can carry. Blood is mostly made up of plasma, which is made up of water, proteins, and blood glucose, among others, followed by red blood cells. The HCT percentage is about 45% to 50% in men and between 36% and 45% in women. A complete blood count includes hemoglobin concentration, platelet count, and white blood cell count. Hematocrit (HCT) is the percentage of your blood that is made of red blood cells in other words, HCT reveals the volume of red blood cells in the blood.

Signs of low hematocrit and hemoglobin