Overview
Hematuria is the medical name for the presence of blood cells in urine (pee). Healthcare providers label blood in urine as gross, microscopic or dipstick.
- Gross hematuria occurs when there’s enough blood present in your urine that it’s visible to the naked eye. It can turn toilet water a pale pink or bright red color.
- Microscopic hematuria happens when your urine has blood in it, but the amount is too small for humans to see. In fact, you need a microscope to see it.
- Dipstick hematuria results when oxidation of a urine test strip causes a color change. It doesn’t always mean that blood cells are present in your urine. Dipstick tests have relatively high false-positive rates.
How common is blood in urine?
Blood in urine is a common finding. It affects an estimated 2% to 30% of the U.S. adult population.
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Symptoms
When to see a doctor
Complications
Blood clots are a dangerous complication of atrial fibrillation (AFib). Blood clots can lead to stroke.
The risk of stroke from AFib increases as you grow older. Other health conditions also may increase the risk of a stroke due to AFib. These conditions include:
- High blood pressure.
- Diabetes.
- Heart failure.
- Some types of heart valve disease.
Blood thinners are commonly prescribed to prevent blood clots and strokes in people with atrial fibrillation.
Prevention
Healthy lifestyle choices can reduce the risk of heart disease and may prevent atrial fibrillation (AFib). Here are some basic heart-healthy tips:
- Control high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
- Don't smoke or use tobacco.
- Eat a diet that's low in salt and saturated fat.
- Exercise at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week unless your health care team says not to.
- Get good sleep. Adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours daily.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Reduce and manage stress.
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