In a procedure called a phlebotomy, a health professional inserts a needle into your vein and drains blood through a tube into a bag or container. Tests may include a urinalysis, complete blood count and blood oxygen levels. Medical conditions that can cause an increase in red blood cells include: A high white blood cell count could be a sign of leukemia, a form of blood cancer or other medical conditions. An elevated white blood cell count is called leukocytosis and can be evidence that your body is trying to fight off something. Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center provides world-class care to patients with cancer and is at the forefront of new and emerging clinical, translational and basic cancer research. In: Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. Fluffy's high red blood cell count could be caused by a kidney tumor, bone marrow cancer or … Health or lifestyle factors can cause a high red blood cell count. Another common cause of a high red blood cell count is having a health condition that makes the amount of oxygen in your blood chronically low, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In a healthy person, there are usually 150,000 to 450,000 platelets per microliter of blood. An RBC count is ordered as a part of the complete blood count (CBC), often as part of a routine physical or as part of a pre-surgical workup.A CBC may be ordered when you have signs and symptoms suggesting a disease that might affect red blood cell production. 1. Mayo Clinic offers appointments in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota and at Mayo Clinic Health System locations. Being born at high altitudes or living at such altitudes causes babies to develop excess red blood cells as it does in adults who live in such locations. Anemia can happen with lower red blood cell count or when red blood cells don’t contain enough hemoglobin [ 36 ]. High platelets is a condition in which the blood contains more platelets than normal. A standard blood test that measures the amount of variation in red blood cell volume and size can predict whether someone admitted to hospital with Covid-19 is likely to die from the infection. What causes a high red blood cell (RBC) count? Tefferi A. However, severe stress also may lower their count, most likely if there is underlying condition for the low blood cell counts. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2013. http://www.clinicalkey.com. Dehydration (If the liquid component of the blood (plasma) is decreased, as in dehydration, the red blood cell count increases. This content does not have an English version. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. ; Hemoglobin levels greater than 16.5 g/dL (grams per deciliter) in women and greater than 18.5 g/dL in men … After observing an overproduction of white blood cells in residents, they performed an experiment on mice, whose white-blood-cell counts responded similarly to stress induced during the experiment. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.org," "Mayo Clinic Healthy Living," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Platelets are small blood cell fragments that assist in blood clotting. Usually, blood test results show elevated white blood cell count if you are fighting an infection or have an inflammatory condition. A high red blood cell count may be a symptom of a disease or disorder, although it doesn’t always indicate a health problem. Low blood cells may be observed after some viral infections, medications and antibiotics, bone marrow diseases autoimmune disorders. A high number of red blood cells--more than 5.72 million red blood cells per mcL for men and 5.03 million per mcL for women--requires further evaluation, according to MayoClinic.com 1.In some cases, treatment for an elevated red blood cell count involves correcting the underlying cause, while … Anemia, polycythemia, and white blood cells disorders. Having diabetic mothers can make babies susceptible. Stress can mean post surgery distress or excessive exercise or strain due to day to day activity. Stress: As you know, stress causes various health problems. In polycythemia, the levels of hemoglobin (Hgb), hematocrit (), or the red blood cell (RBC) count may be elevated when measured in the complete blood count (), as compared to normal. In most cases, the cause of the high white blood cell count is related to an on-going medical condition, such as an infection, but less frequently, high white blood cell counts may be caused by a serious disorder or disease process, such as leukemia. A high platelet count can be identified through routine blood tests. Marx JA, et al., eds. Stress reaction can cause a high count, and certain drugs, especially steroids, can lead to a higher number. European Journal of Internal Medicine. How is a high red blood cell count treated? A high RBC count tells us that there has been an increase in oxygen-carrying cells in blood. A high RBC count tells us that there has been an increase in oxygen-carrying cells in blood. However, other factors like stress, smoking, or allergies can elevate your white blood cell count. Your body may increase red blood cell production to compensate for any condition that results in low oxygen levels, including: Certain drugs stimulate the production of red blood cells, including: Rarely, in some kidney cancers and sometimes after kidney transplants, the kidneys might produce too much erythropoietin. Heart failure, causing low blood oxygen levels, Carbon monoxide exposure (usually related to smoking), Taking performance-enhancing drugs such as anabolic steroids (for example, synthetic testosterone) or erythropoietin. Research has been done extensively in this field. 8th ed. Accessed Dec. 7, 2015. These unique cells are capable of becoming any kind of blood cell, from red blood cells to platelets. It is characterized by hyperplasia of the cell-forming tissues of the bone marrow, with resultant … American Association for Clinical Chemistry/Lab Tests Online. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Hoffman R, et al. 2015;90:1283. This is due to the red blood cells becoming more concentrated. HelloCustomer Usually stress makes your body to produce more white blood cells, thus increasing their number. Health or lifestyle factors can cause a high red blood cell count. Connolly HM. All rights reserved. https://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/cardiovascular/c_multi_polycythemia If your test results show an elevated white blood cell count, your first thought might be that something horrible is wrong with you. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. The cause of secondary polycythemia is the result of external factors such as sleep apnea, hypoxia, and certain tumors, affecting red blood cell production. Increased white blood cell (WBC) count and red cell distribution width (RDW) are associated with negative clinical outcomes in a wide variety of pathological conditions. Chronic myleoproliferative disorders (disorders where the bone … After one week, the researchers found that white blood cell counts were significantly higher in on-duty workers than in those that were off-duty. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. You've taken drugs or hormones, most commonly erythropoietin (EPO), that stimulate red blood cell production. Lifestyle and health factors can also cause an increase in the red blood cell count. Fluffy's high red blood cell count could be caused by a kidney tumor, bone marrow cancer or cardiac or lung problems. In some cases, this may indicate that the body is compensating for some condition that is depriving the body of oxygen,   in others, the cause may be related to diseases or drugs that alter the production of RBCs. an increase in the total red blood cell mass of the blood; called also erythrocythemia, hypercythemia, and hypererythrocythemia. an increase in the total red blood cell mass of the blood; called also erythrocythemia, hypercythemia, and hypererythrocythemia. The polycythemias. The blood making cells in bone marrow work harder to create high hemoglobin levels and a high red blood cell count. Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below. More concerning things that can cause this would be your body making too many red blood cells without a cause, a condition called polycythemia. Pregnancy can also cause a high or slightly elevated white blood cell count. Red blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. This content does not have an Arabic version. In a procedure called a phlebotomy, a health professional inserts a needle into your vein and drains blood through a tube into a … Causes of Primary Polycythemia Causes shown here are commonly associated with this symptom. High RBC Count Causes . In primary polycythemia, abnormalities in the production of red blood cells cause a high red blood cell count. Lee G, et al. Causes of a raised red cell count Absolute erythrocytosis may be caused by an abnormality within the red blood cells (primary erythrocytosis) or by another condition (secondary erythrocytosis). High White blood cell production is one of them. Medical conditions that can cause an increase in red blood cells include: Lifestyle factors that can cause a high red blood cell count include: Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 05/02/2018. This enhances red blood cell production. Causes … Stress reaction can cause a high count, and certain drugs, especially steroids, can lead to a higher number. A condition present at birth that reduces the oxygen-carrying capacity of red blood cells (hemoglobinopathy), Injections of a protein (erythropoietin) that enhances red blood cell production. Mayo Clinic facts about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Our COVID-19 patient and visitor guidelines, plus trusted health information, Mayo Clinic Health System patient vaccination updates. High platelets is a condition in which the blood contains more platelets than normal. The treatment of polycythemia, which can involve phlebotomy, can alleviate the systemic hypertension, as well as the physiological consequences of having a high red blood cell count. However, in the case of high stress levels, the hematopoietic stem cells developed into white blood cells that then went on to cause plaque buildup that threatened to … Some common signs and symptoms associated with anemia that generally lead to a healthcare practitioner ordering … The research examined the white blood cell counts of 29 employees at the hospital’s intensive care unit.2These particular employees were chosen because the ICU is known to be a very high-stress environment. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. A high platelet count can be identified through routine blood tests. Essential thrombocythemia and polycythemia vera: Focus on clinical practice. Our general interest e-newsletter keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics. Myleoproliferative Disorders. In some cases, this may indicate that the body is compensating for some condition that is depriving the body of oxygen,   in others, the cause may be related to diseases or drugs that alter the production of RBCs. Although having a high red blood cell count doesn’t always indicate a health problem, it could also be a symptom of a disease or disorder in certain cases. In a healthy person, there are usually 150,000 to 450,000 platelets per microliter of blood. The cause of secondary polycythemia is the result of external factors such as sleep apnea, hypoxia, and certain tumors, affecting red blood cell production. This category likewise includes polycythemia vera, and primary familial and congenital polycythemia.Polycythemia veraPolycythemia vera is a fairly unusual condition, and is typically associated with an elevated white blood cell count and platelet count. There are two distinct forms of the disease: Primary polycythemia (polycythemia vera) is a myeloproliferative disorder of unknown etiology. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. Work with your doctor or other health care professional for an accurate diagnosis. Blood doping (transfusion) Injections of a protein (erythropoietin) that enhances red blood cell production; Increased red blood cell concentration. Red blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Additional tests will help your doctor determine the cause of your high red blood cell count and next steps in your care. If your kitty's red blood cell count is elevated, your vet will do some diagnostic testing to discover the cause. If a medical condition is causing a high red blood cell count, your doctor may recommend a procedure or medication to lower it. Symptoms include fatigue, headache, itching, abdominal pain, joint pain. In today’s post, we are listing down potential causes of an elevated white blood cell count: 1. CORONAVIRUS: DELAYS FOR ROUTINE SURGERIES, VISITOR RESTRICTIONS + COVID-19 TESTING. Learn about polycythemia causes, treatment, life expectancy, types, and more. Some common signs and symptoms associated with anemia that generally lead to a healthcare practitioner ordering a CBC are: High stress levels also can cause depression and anxiety, again leading to higher levels of inflammation. An RBC count is ordered as a part of the complete blood count (CBC), often as part of a routine physical or as part of a pre-surgical workup.A CBC may be ordered when you have signs and symptoms suggesting a disease that might affect red blood cell production. Accessed Dec. 7, 2015. Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic. Platelets are small blood cell fragments that assist in blood clotting. You're not likely to get a high hemoglobin count from EPO given to you for chronic kidney disease. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. A high red blood cell count may be a symptom of a disease or disorder, although it doesn’t always indicate a health problem. Policy, Get useful, helpful and relevant health + wellness information. Accessed Dec. 8, 2015. Schedule your appointment now for safe in-person care. On the other hand, several cancers, such as leukemia, can also show many white blood cells. But EPO doping — getting injections to enhance athletic performance — can cause a high hemoglobin count. Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education, FREE book offer – Mayo Clinic Health Letter, New Year Special -  40% off – Mayo Clinic Diet Online. This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here. Tests may include a urinalysis, complete blood count and blood oxygen levels. The clinical and laboratory evaluation of the patient with erythrocytosis. Polycythemia is an increased number of red blood cells in the blood. They include: Living at higher altitudes; Cigarette smoking Being born post-term after the mother crosses the 42-week mark in her pregnancy can also cause elevated red blood cell counts. © 1998-2021 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). 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