High hemoglobin count

What causes high hemoglobin?

- Shannon / Nevada

Answer

High hemoglobin can have many causes. Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen from your lungs to your other body tissues.

A hemoglobin test measures the amount of hemoglobin in your blood. Normal values for hemoglobin are 13.8 to 17.2 grams per deciliter (gm/dL) for males and 12.1 to 15.1 gm/dL for females.

High hemoglobin is usually due to an increased number or abnormality of red blood cells. Causes include:

• Living at a high altitude
• Smoking
• Congenital heart disease
• Failure of the right side of your heart (cor pulmonale)
• Scarring and thickening of the lung tissue (pulmonary fibrosis)
• A rare bone marrow disorder (polycythemia vera)
• Dehydration, such as from severe diarrhea or excessive sweating
• Kidney disease
• Exposure to carbon monoxide
• Anabolic steroid use

Treatment of high hemoglobin is directed at the underlying cause.

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