Hematocrit

Abbreviation: Hct

Panel: Complete Blood Count (CBC) · All complete blood count tests

Typical adult reference range

Conventional unitsMale 41–50; Female 36–48 %
SI unitsMale 0.41–0.50; Female 0.36–0.48 L/L

Ranges vary between laboratories and methods — compare your result with the range printed on your own report.

What a high or low result can mean

High hematocrit: high values can be seen in dehydration and in conditions with increased red cell production.

Low hematocrit: low values may occur with anemia, blood loss, or overhydration.

These are associations, not a diagnosis: the same result can have several causes, and your clinician interprets it with the rest of your results and history.

Please note: Reference ranges vary between laboratories, and between the methods and instruments they use — the range printed on your own report is the one your result should be compared with. A result outside the range is not by itself a diagnosis, and a result inside it does not rule out illness. These pages are an educational summary, not medical advice: always discuss your results with the clinician who ordered them, who can interpret them in the context of your health and history.