The HCT value shows how much of the blood carries as cells and how much as plasma, and this provides important information about the body’s oxygen carrying capacity. HCT measures the density of erythrocytes (red blood cells). A normal HCT level may differ in men and women because it can vary depending on factors such as gender, age, pregnancy. In general, low HCT levels may be a sign of anemia or another health problem.
What is HCT?
HCT is the abbreviation for hematocrit. “What is hematocrit?” We can answer the question as follows: Hematocrit is a value expressing the ratio of the volume of red blood cells to the total blood volume. Red blood cells are cells that carry oxygen to tissues. The hematocrit value is usually expressed as a percentage and may vary by gender. While the normal value for women varies between 35-45%, for men this figure is between 39-50%.
“What is HCT in complete blood count?” The question can be answered as follows: In complete blood count results, the HCT (Hematocrit) value expresses the ratio of the part of the blood filled with cells to the total blood volume. HCT is an important measure to determine the density of blood and the proportion of red blood cells. Factors that can affect the HCT level include:
- HCT levels increase with age.
- HCT levels in women are lower than in men.
- HCT levels rise during pregnancy.
- Some medications can affect the HCT level.
- Some medical conditions can affect the HCT level.
Low HCT means a decrease in the number of red blood cells in the blood. Red blood cells are cells that carry oxygen to tissues. Low HCT means that not enough oxygen can be transported to the body’s tissues. There may be many reasons for low HCT. The most common causes are:
- Anemia: Anemia is a condition in which the number of red blood cells or hemoglobin level in the blood decreases. Hemoglobin is the oxygen-carrying part of red blood cells.
- Blood loss: Blood loss reduces the number of red blood cells in the blood. Blood loss may be due to an accident, injury, surgery, or certain medical conditions.
- Chronic diseases: Some chronic diseases can reduce red blood cell production. These diseases include kidney failure, liver failure and cancer.
- Medicines: Some medications can reduce red blood cell production. These medications include chemotherapy drugs, some antibiotics, and some painkillers.
Low HCT can cause the following symptoms:
- Tiredness
- Weakness
- pale skin
- Headache
- Irregular heartbeats
- Shortness of breath
What diseases does low HCT cause?
Low HCT causes insufficient oxygen to be carried to the body’s tissues. This can lead to the following health problems:
- Tiredness: Low HCT causes fatigue and weakness due to insufficient oxygen transport to the body’s tissues.
- Pale skin: Low HCT causes the skin to look pale.
- Headache: Low HCT may cause headaches.
- Irregular heartbeats: Low HCT may cause irregular heartbeats.
- Shortness of breath: Low HCT may cause shortness of breath.
Low HCT can also lead to the following serious health problems:
- Heart disease: Low HCT may increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
- Serious infections: Low HCT can weaken the defense against infections and lead to the development of serious infections.
- Vision problems: Low HCT can cause vision problems.
What is good for low HCT?
What is good for low HCT depends on the underlying cause. If HCT is low due to anemia, anemia treatment is applied. If there is low HCT due to blood loss, the source of the blood loss is treated. If HCT is low due to chronic diseases, chronic disease treatment is applied. If there is low HCT due to medications, the dosage of these medications can be reduced or changed. “How to increase HCT?” Here are some general things that are good for low HCT:
- Get enough iron, folate and vitamin B12. These nutrients are essential for red blood cell production.
- Drink enough fluids. Drinking enough fluids can help increase blood volume. It is recommended to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day to get enough fluids.
- Control risk factors such as high blood pressure and heart disease. These risk factors may cause low HCT.
It is important to adopt a healthy lifestyle to control risk factors such as high blood pressure and heart disease. This includes exercising regularly, eating healthy and managing stress.