What is Erythrocyte (RBC)? High and Low Erythrocytes

Erythrocytes, also known as red blood cells (RBC), are the functional component of blood that is responsible for the transport of gases and nutrients throughout the human body. Its shape and composition allow these specialized cells to carry out their basic functions. The role of the erythrocyte is critical in the investigation of many disease processes in various body systems. A higher or lower than normal red blood cell count is often the first sign of a disease.

What is Erythrocyte (RBC)?

red blood cell (
RBC
) count measures the number of red blood cells, also known as erythrocytes, in the blood. Red blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs to every cell in the body. Your cells need oxygen to grow, reproduce and stay healthy. Red blood cells develop in the bone marrow. Here, they enter the bloodstream for a period of approximately seven days after maturation. This process plays a critical role in the complex balance of the body, as red blood cells are vital with their oxygen-carrying function. RBC measurement is used to help diagnose red blood cell disorders such as anemia, a condition in which the body does not produce enough healthy red blood cells.

What should be the erythrocyte value?

An RBC count is usually performed as part of a complete blood cell (FBC) count. Women generally have a lower RBC count than men, and the level of red blood cells tends to decrease with age. A normal erythrocyte value should be like this:

• men – 4.3-5.9 million
• women – 3.5-5.5 million

The above ranges are common measurements for the results of these tests. Some variation in normal value ranges occurs between different laboratories. This is because laboratories test various samples using different measurement methods.

What is Low Erythrocytes?

Low erythrocyte count
It is known as anemia in medicine. Anemia refers to the problem of not being able to carry enough healthy red blood cells, or hemoglobin, to body tissues. Hemoglobin is a protein found in red cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to all organs in the body. Having anemia can cause fatigue, weakness, and shortness of breath. There are many types of anemia. Each has its own reason. Anemia can be short-term or long-term. It can range from mild to severe. Anemia can be a warning sign of serious illness.

What are the symptoms of low erythrocyte count?

If the anemia is mild or the problem develops gradually, there may be no symptoms. The first symptoms that may appear are:

• Feeling weak or tired more often than usual
• Numbness and tingling in hands and feet
• headaches
• Loss of appetite
• Concentration or thinking problems
• Irritability

If anemia worsens, symptoms may include:

• brittle nails
• Blue color in the white parts of the eyes
• Dizziness when standing up
• Desire to eat ice or other non-food items (pica syndrome)
• pale skin color
• Painful or inflamed tongue
• Shortness of breath even with light activity or at rest
• mouth ulcers
• Abnormal or increased menstrual bleeding in women

What are the causes of low erythrocyte count?

Low erythrocyte count is called anemia. Possible causes of anemia include:

• Vitamin B12 deficiency
• iron deficiency
• some medications
• folate deficiency
• Long-term (chronic) diseases such as chronic kidney disease, cancer, ulcerative colitis or rheumatoid arthritis
• Destruction of red blood cells earlier than normal
• Bone marrow problems such as lymphoma, leukemia, myelodysplasia, multiple myeloma, or aplastic anemia
• Some types of anemia that may be inherited, such as thalassemia or sickle cell anemia
• Pregnancy
• Sudden heavy blood loss
• Slow blood loss (for example due to heavy menstrual periods or stomach ulcers)

How is Low Erythrocytes Treated?

Treatments for low red blood cells depend on the cause. The most common treatments are:

• Red blood cell transfusion if hemoglobin is very low or there are signs of bleeding
• Iron supplement therapy (given by IV or pill)
• Medicines that tell the body to make new red blood cells (called erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, or ESAs)
• Vitamin B12 or folic acid supplements (given as an IV, shot, or pill)

If chemotherapy, medication, or another treatment is causing anemia, the doctor may reduce the dose, switch to a different treatment, or stop the treatment altogether to give the body a chance to recover.

What is Erythrocyte High?

A high red blood cell count means that the number of red blood cells in the bloodstream is higher than normal. It is one of the main components of blood, along with red and white blood cells and platelets. Red blood cells help carry oxygen to cells in the body. However, when the red blood cell count is high, it may mean there is an underlying health problem. If the red blood cell count is high, there is a condition called erythrocytosis. This causes the blood to become thicker than it should be and can increase the risk of blood clots

What are the symptoms of high erythrocyte count?

Not everyone with erythrocytosis may have symptoms. However, the existing symptoms of high erythrocyte count are as follows:

• Headache
• blurred vision
• Red skin, especially on the face, hands and feet – this may be harder to see on black or brown skin.
• Fatigue
• Hypertension
• dizziness
• abdominal discomfort
• confusion, confusion
• Bleeding problems – such as nosebleeds and bruising
• Gout – can cause joint pain, stiffness and swelling
• Itchy skin – especially after a bath or shower

What Causes High Erythrocytes?

A high red blood cell count may be a sign of a disease or disorder. However, this does not always mean that there is a health problem. Factors such as health or lifestyle can cause a high red blood cell count.

Medical conditions that can cause an increase in red blood cells include:

• Heart failure: causes low oxygen levels in the blood.
• Congenital heart disease (congenital: meaning you are born with it).
• Polycythemia vera (a rare blood cancer in which the bone marrow produces too many red blood cells)
• kidney tumors
• Lung diseases such as emphysema, COPD, pulmonary fibrosis (scarring of lung tissue)
• Hypoxia (low blood oxygen level).
• sleep apnea

Lifestyle factors that can cause a high red blood cell count include:

• living at high altitude
• Taking performance-enhancing drugs such as anabolic steroids (for example, synthetic testosterone) or erythropoietin

How to Treat High Erythrocytes?

Treatment of high erythrocyte count, called erythrocytosis, is determined according to the underlying cause of the disease. There are two types of erythrocytosis. The first of these, Primary erythrocytosis, can be treated with phlebotomy, in which some of the blood is removed to remove excess red blood cells and improve blood flow. In addition, medication may be prescribed to slow down the production of red blood cells in the treatment of primary erythrocytosis.

Secondary erythrocytosis, another type of erythrocytosis, is treated by treating the underlying cause. This treatment may include:

• Oxygen for people with low oxygen levels
• Treating any disorder that causes low oxygen levels
• Surgery to remove tumors
• Stopping medications that cause erythrocytosis
• Treatment of hormone disorder
• Giving fluids