Haematocrit (PCV) Testing
How to check your Haematocrit levels with a home fingerprick blood test kit
What Is A Haematocrit Test For?
A Haematocrit test is also known as a Packed Cell Volume test.
Your haematocrit measures how much of your blood is made up of cells and is expressed as a percentage.
Nearly all of the cells in your blood are red blood cells (RBCs).
Learn all about Haematocrit Testing:
Haematocrit Testing UK Statistics 2021
18.5% of people tested have Haematocrit levels which are too high.
And 1.1% have levels that are too low.
The average Haematocrit result is 0.4
Note what is normal for you may differ for your age and gender.
Men tend to report higher Haematocrit in their blood than women.
As many as one in five men tested have high levels of Haematocrit
80.4%
of people have Haematocrit blood levels in the normal range. Do you?
Are you in the 80.4% with normal results?
What If Haematocrit Test Levels Are High?
The most common cause of increased Packed Cell Volume is dehydration. Following fluid intake - i.e. drinking water - the haematocrit level will return to normal levels.
However, increased haematocrit can indicate that there are too many red cells present in the blood, a condition which is known as polycythaemia.
The additional red blood cells in polycythaemia make the blood thicker. This makes it less able to travel through capillaries and reach your body's tissues. If severe it can lead to blood clots which can be very serious. We recommend you review the guidance here https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/polycythaemia/ and follow up with a medical professional.
Your haemoglobin and red cell count results in this test panel should also be reviewed, as polycythaemia is likely to also increase their levels.
What If Haematocrit Test Levels Are Low?
A decreased haematocrit (Packed Cell Volume) indicates anaemia and further testing is required to determine the cause.
Many conditions can result in a low haematocrit including nutritional deficiencies in iron or vitamins, inflammatory conditions, cirrhosis of the liver, bone marrow disorders and more.
How To Test Haematocrit?
The Haematocrit (PCV) Test allows you to accurately check your levels of Haematocrit in a fingerprick blood sample.
You can check your Haematocrit levels by buying a home fingerprick blood test kit below. Your sample is then professionally analysed in an accredited laboratory for total reassurance. The Vitall Full Blood Count (FBC) Home Test Kit includes a Haematocrit test and is available for just £59.
Please see the following test kits:
Other Biomarkers Often Tested With Haematocrit
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Basophils
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Blood Film
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Eosinophils
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Full Blood Count (FBC)
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Haemoglobin (Hb)
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Lymphocytes
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Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH)
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Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC)
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Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV)
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Mean Platelet Volume (MPV)
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Monocytes
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Neutrophils
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Platelet Count
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Red Cell Count (RBC)
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Red Cell Distribution Width (RCDW)
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White Cell Count (WBC)
