What is the reason for high average hemoglobin

Elevated average hemoglobin may be caused by long-term smoking, high-altitude living, chronic hypoxic diseases, polycythemia vera, severe dehydration, and other factors.

1. Long term smoking:

Carbon monoxide in tobacco combines with hemoglobin to form carboxyhemoglobin, leading to a decrease in blood oxygen carrying capacity. The body is in a state of compensatory hypoxia, which stimulates the excessive hematopoietic function of the bone marrow and increases hemoglobin synthesis. Smokers typically have hemoglobin levels 5-10 g/L higher than non-smokers, and these levels gradually return to normal 3-6 months after quitting smoking. 2. High altitude living: In areas above 3000 meters above sea level, the partial pressure of oxygen in the air decreases, and the human body adapts to the low oxygen environment by increasing the number of red blood cells and hemoglobin concentration. The normal hemoglobin level of plateau residents can be 20-30g/L higher than that of plain areas, and this physiological increase will slowly decrease after returning to plain life.

3. Chronic hypoxia: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sleep apnea syndrome, and other conditions may experience increased secretion of erythropoietin by the kidneys due to long-term tissue hypoxia, which stimulates bone marrow hematopoietic function. The increase in hemoglobin levels in these patients is related to the degree of hypoxia, and may be accompanied by signs such as cyanosis of the lips and clubbing fingers.

4. Polycythemia vera:

is a bone marrow proliferative tumor characterized by sustained hemoglobin levels exceeding 185g/L in males or 165g/L in females, often accompanied by symptoms such as splenomegaly and skin itching. The patient's blood viscosity increases and is prone to thrombosis, requiring treatment with bloodletting therapy or medication such as hydroxyurea.

5. Fluid loss:

Severe diarrhea, extensive burns, or long-term use of diuretics can lead to blood concentration and relative increase in hemoglobin. This type of situation is usually accompanied by a synchronous increase in hematocrit, but the total amount of red blood cells does not increase. After fluid replacement to correct dehydration, the indicator can fall back. When hemoglobin is found to be high, a follow-up blood routine examination should be conducted to eliminate detection errors, and combined with indicators such as red blood cell count and hematocrit, a comprehensive judgment should be made. It is recommended to avoid blood tests after intense exercise, maintain sufficient water intake on a daily basis, and regularly monitor blood viscosity for residents in high-altitude areas. Long term smokers need to undergo pulmonary function assessment, while patients with chronic cough and dyspnea should improve blood gas analysis and sleep monitoring. Patients with polycythemia vera should strictly monitor the risk of thrombosis and avoid taking iron supplements without authorization. Diet can increase the frequency of drinking water appropriately and reduce the intake of high purine foods to prevent secondary gout.