What are normal ranges of hematocrit, red cell counts, and hemoglobin?
Hematocrit is the ratio of the volume of red cells to the volume of whole blood. The normal range for hematocrit varies between sexes and is approximately 45% to 52% for men and 37% to 48% for women. Red cell count signifies the number of red blood cells in a volume of blood. The normal range in men is approximately 4.7 to 6.1 million cells/ul (microliter). The normal range in women range from 4.2 to 5.4 million cells/ul, according to NIH (National Institutes of Health) data. Hemoglobin is a protein in the red blood cells that carries oxygen and gives blood its red color. The normal range for hemoglobin may differ between the sexes and is approximately 13 to 18 grams per deciliter for men and 12 to 16 grams per deciliter for women. What causes polycythemia? Causes of polycythemia are primary or secondary. In primary polycythemia, intrinsic factors in red blood cell production cause an increase in red cell count. In secondary polycythemia, external factors result in polycythemia. What a
