is it serious if you have a low blood count?

It depends if your counting white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets in the blood.

A complete blood count test is a diagnostic, assessment and management tool for many different conditions. For example discovering blood disorders or diseases, which can cause some serious problems.

The complete blood count (CBC) is one of the most commonly ordered blood tests. The complete blood count is the calculation of the cellular (formed elements) of blood.

A major portion of the complete blood count is the measure of the concentration of white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets in the blood.

Low count For White blood cell (WBC, leukocyte)

* Conditions that can lower WBC values include chemotherapy and reactions to other medicines, aplastic anemia, viral infections, malaria, alcoholism, AIDS, lupus, or Cushing's syndrome.

Low count For Red blood cell (RBC)

* Anemia lowers RBC values. Anemia can be caused by heavy menstrual bleeding, stomach ulcers, colon cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, some tumors, Addison's disease, thalassemia, lead poisoning, sickle cell disease, or reactions to some chemicals and medicines. A low RBC value may also be seen if the spleen has been taken out.

* A lack of folic acid or vitamin B12 can also cause anemia, such as pernicious anemia, which is a problem with absorbing vitamin B12.

* The RBC indices value and a blood smear may help find the cause of anemia.

Low Platelet Counts

*Taking medicines that can cause low platelet counts. Some examples of the many medicines that cause this include steroids, some antibiotics, thiazide diuretics, chemotherapy medicines, quinidine, and meprobamate (Equanil, Miltown, Meprospan).

*Having an enlarged spleen, which may cause a low platelet count (thrombocytopenia) or a low white blood cell count. An enlarged spleen may be caused by certain types of cancer.


Low blood count can be serious dependent on the count value of the concentration of white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets in the blood. A doctor has to evaluate the values to see if the problem can be fixed or not.

Blood counts panel testing really do count for assessing the state of your health.  

Health lab blood panel testing information and awareness...
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