Overview
High numbers of red blood cells may indicate:
- Cigarette smoking
- Low oxygen tension in the blood
- Congenital heart disease
- Cor pulmonale
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Polycythemia vera
- Dehydration (such as from severe diarrhea)
- Emphysema
Review Date 10/16/2020
Updated by: Todd Gersten, MD, Hematology/Oncology, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, Wellington, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.