Hematocrit (HCT, Ht)

A hematocrit test measures how much of your blood is made up of red blood cells. Red blood cells contain a protein called hemoglobin that carries oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. Hematocrit levels that are too high or too low can indicate a blood disorder, dehydration, or other medical conditions.

Normal levels of hematocrit for men range from 41% to 50%. · Normal level for women is 36% to 44%.

A number of factors can affect the outcome of a hematocrit test and yield inaccurate or misleading results, including: Living at a high altitude. Pregnancy. Significant recent blood loss. Recent blood transfusion. Severe dehydration.

In absence of these factors, a low hematocrit level means the are too few red blood cells in the body. In these cases, a person may experience symptoms that signal anemia. Common symptoms include fatigue, weakness, and low energy.

If you've taken a hematocrit test and hematocrit is high, this means that you have more red blood cells than what's considered to be healthy. High hematocrit levels could indicate underlying medical conditions like: dehydration, carbon monoxide poisoning.