Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
A high RDW means that there’s variation in the size of your red blood cells beyond what’s considered normal. A high RDW may be a sign of anemia or a related condition. Your healthcare provider will need to look at other tests to be sure.
High RDW is most common when a patient is diagnosed with diseases that directly affect the red blood cells. Chronic diseases like AIDS or HIV; What Causes High RDW? While there can be many reasons for the occurrence of high RDW, the common reason is the low oxygen levels in the patient’s body.
If your RDW is high, it means there is a large variation between the size and volume of your red blood cells. A high RDW level can indicate: certain kinds of anemia; iron deficiency; folate and vitamin B12 deficiency; sickle cell anemia; acute bleeding; rapid breakdown of red blood cells
Low oxygen levels, misuse of certain drugs and blood cancers can cause a high red blood cell count. The body might make more red blood cells as a response to conditions that result in low oxygen levels. These might include: Congenital heart disease in adults. COPD. Heart failure.
The RDW can help differentiate the cause of anemia: eg, a high RDW suggests iron-deficiency anemia, while a normal RDW suggests thalassemia. Studies also suggest that a high RDW may be associated with an increased rate of all-cause mortality and may predict a poor prognosis in several cardiac diseases.
High RDW. A high RDW means that your red blood cells are unequal in size. This condition is called anisocytosis [2, 3]. It happens when, for any reason, the body is having issues producing red blood cells. Causes of High RDW. Causes listed below are commonly associated with high RDW.
a high RDW and low MCV suggest iron deficiency or microcytic anemia; a high RDW and high MCV indicate a lack of B12 or folate, macrocytic anemia, or chronic liver disease