What is the Cause of Abnormal Hematocrit Levels in Men?

What Causes Abnormal Hematocrit Levels In Men?

In order to deal properly with abnormal hematocrit levels in men we need to understand and — if possible — remove the underlying causes and risk factors. We need to ask: "What else is going on inside the body that might allow abnormal hematocrit levels in men to develop?"

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Accurate diagnosis of the factors behind abnormal hematocrit levels in men consists of three steps:

Step 1: List the Possible Causative Factors

Identify all disease conditions, lifestyle choices and environmental risk factors that can lead to abnormal hematocrit levels in men. Here are five possibilities:

Bone Marrow Suppression
Anemia
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
Leukemia
Chronic Renal Insufficiency

Step 2: Build a Symptom Checklist

Identify all possible symptoms and risk factors of each possible cause, and check the ones that apply:

low red blood cell count

easy bruising

recent onset vomiting

swollen cervical nodes

slight diffuse bone pain

low hemoglobin levels

severe fatigue after slight exertion

chronic vomiting

frequent unexplained fevers

regularly feeling unusually cold

regular unexplained vomiting

history of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

... and more than 30 others

Step 3: Rule Out or Confirm each Possible Cause

A differential diagnosis of your symptoms and risk factors finds the likely cause of abnormal hematocrit levels in men:

Cause	Probability	Status
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma	96%	Confirm
Anemia	15%	Unlikely
Chronic Renal Insufficiency	2%	Ruled out
Leukemia	1%	Ruled out
Bone Marrow Suppression	1%	Ruled out

* This is a simple example to illustrate the process

Arriving at a Correct Diagnosis

The Analyst™ is our online diagnosis tool that learns all about you through a straightforward process of multi-level questioning, providing diagnosis at the end.

If you indicate having had recent lab tests, The Analyst™ will ask further questions including this one:

Hematocrit (HCT). Unit: Percent [fraction]

Possible responses:

→ Don't know
→ Under 30% [0.30]
→ 30 to 40% [0.30-0.40]
→ 41 to 51% [0.41-0.51] (normal)
→ Over 51% [0.51]

Based on your response to this question, which may indicate very low hematocrit, low hematocrit, normal hematocrit or high hematocrit, The Analyst™ will consider possibilities such as:

Anemia

Anemia also suggests the following possibilities:

Chronic Renal Insufficiency

Anemia is almost always present in cases of chronic renal failure, and can occur through any of the basic mechanisms (blood loss, excessive destruction of red blood cells, or low production of red blood cells.) However, the typical anemia associated with CRF results from decreased production of red blood cells by the bone marrow: failing kidneys no longer produce sufficient erythropoietin, a hormone that stimulates the production of oxygen-carrying red blood cells (RBCs). In addition to decreased levels of RBCs, patients often begin to accumulate toxic metabolites, which shorten the lifespan of existing RBCs.

Leukemia

The red blood cell deficiency caused by leukemia leads to anemia and the symptoms of anemia, including severe fatigue, pallor, and breathing difficulty.

Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Bone Marrow Suppression

... and also rule out issues such as:

Anemia

Concerned or curious about your health? Try The Analyst™