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Red Blood Cells carry oxygen
throughout the body to the local tissues and exchange it for carbon
dioxide.
They are produced in the bone marrow and live for about 4 months before
they are taken out of the circulation by the liver, spleen and bone
marrow.
The RBC count determines the number of red cells per unit volume.
The RBC Count is Increased in the Presence of:
- Hemoconcentration
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
- CHF (congestive heart failure)
- Smokers
- Pre-eclampsia
The RBC Count is Decreased in the Presence of:
- Anemia
- Leukemia
- Hyperthryroidism
- Chronic liver disease
- Hemolysis:
- Transfusion reaction
- Drug/chemical reaction
- Infection
- Burns
- Mechanical disruption (artificial heart valves)
- Systemic Disease
Special Considerations
- During pregnancy, while the total red cell mass increases, the RBC
Count falls because of dilutional effects
- Adaptation to high altitudes includes moderate elevation of RBC
Count.
- During the initial phases of an acute hemorrhage, the RBC count generally doesn't change very much. Later, as extracellular
fluid is mobilized and IV fluids are incorporated, there is a
dilutional effect that will lead to a reduced RBC count. This
fall in RBC count may take several hours to develop.
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Normal Values*
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x 100,000/µl |
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Men |
4.2-5.4 |
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Women |
3.6-5.0 |
*These are general values taken from a variety of sources. The
actual normal values may vary from lab to lab and from one type of testing
protocol to another.
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Source:
Operational Medicine 2001, Health
Care in Military Settings, NAVMED P-5139, May 1, 2001, Bureau
of Medicine and Surgery, Department
of the Navy, 2300 E Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20372-5300
OB-GYN 101:
Introductory Obstetrics & Gynecology
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Brookside Associates, LLC
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