Symptoms and Causes of High Hematocrit Levels
High hematocrit levels are frequently accompanied by the following symptoms:
- nausea and vertigo [4]
- vision issues
- headaches
- increased spleen
These signs and symptoms point to polycythemia, [5] a disorder in which the body makes too many red blood cells. Because of this, blood clots become thicker readily.
Since polycythemia cannot be cured, the focus of treatment is on symptom control. The main objective is to prevent stroke [6] and deep vein thrombosis (DVT), [7] a blood clot that typically develops in a deep leg vein.
Dehydration can occasionally lead to polycythemia. A person’s plasma levels fall when they don’t drink enough, which raises the number of red blood cells in their blood volume. One can reduce their red blood cell count by rehydrating.
Visit a Doctor
Any of the above-mentioned symptoms, such as fatigue, weakness, vision issues, and dizziness, which could indicate high or low hematocrit levels, should be discussed with a doctor.
A person should seek medical attention right once to avoid further difficulties, because these symptoms may also be a sign of an underlying disease.
A doctor should run routine hematocrit tests on a patient receiving chemotherapy to check on the condition of the bone marrow.