Red Cell Distribution Width as a Predictor for Systeimic Hypertension

Red cell distribution width (RDW) is a measurement of the variation in the size and volume of red blood cells (RBCs). It's a standard parameter of a complete blood count (CBC) and is calculated by dividing the standard deviation of the mean cell size by the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) of the RBCs and multiplying by 100 to convert to a percentage. The normal range for RDW -Coefficient of Variation is approximately 11.0-15.0%. RDW is raised in several haematological disorders, inflammatory conditions, chronic diseases, altered neurohormonal conditions. Hence RDW levels can be used as marker of investigation and helps in management and future therapeutic approaches.