Conditions and symptoms
What Is Neutropenia? Low White Cell Count Explained
Neutropenia · say it: noo-troh-PEE-nee-uhAlso written: low neutrophil count, low neutrophils, neutropaenia, febrile neutropenia
Short answer
Neutropenia means a lower than normal number of neutrophils, the white blood cells that are the body's first defence against bacterial infection.
What it means
Neutrophils are the most common type of white blood cell. They fight bacteria and fungi. Neutropenia means there are fewer of them in the blood than expected, which lowers the body's ability to fight infection. A fever when neutrophils are low, called febrile neutropenia, can be serious and needs urgent medical advice.
Medicine labels list neutropenia because some medicines, including chemotherapy and some antithyroid, antipsychotic, antibiotic and immune-suppressing medicines, can reduce neutrophil production in the bone marrow. Labels often ask for regular blood counts and tell people to report fever, sore throat or other signs of infection quickly.
Neutropenia is related to agranulocytosis, which means a very severe lack of neutrophils and similar cells. It is different from a low total white cell count, which could be due to other types of white cell. Your blood report prints its own range for neutrophils.
Where you may see it
- The 'Warnings' and 'Adverse Reactions' sections of chemotherapy and some antipsychotic labels
- Full blood count (CBC) reports, as 'neutrophils' or 'ANC'
- Oncology clinic letters
📄 How it looks on a report
Neutropenia has been reported. Obtain a complete blood count prior to treatment and periodically thereafter.
🙅 What it does not mean
- A slightly low neutrophil result does not always mean neutropenia from a medicine. Some people naturally run lower counts.
- It does not mean you will definitely get an infection; it means the risk is higher.
- Being on a label does not mean it will happen to you.
🎯 Check yourself
Which of these is the right meaning of “Neutropenia”?
🗒️ Questions to ask your doctor
💊 Medicines whose labels mention “Neutropenia”
Plain-English explanations of each medicine, from its official FDA label.
- Diazepam
A benzodiazepine, a type of medicine that slows activity in the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord)
- Enalapril
An angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor
- Lisinopril
an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, a type of medicine that helps relax blood vessels to lower blood pressure
🔗 Read more from trusted sources
- “Neutropenia” on MedlinePlus ↗
US National Library of Medicine
- NCI Dictionary definition ↗
US National Cancer Institute: “neutropenia”
Seeing this word on your own report? Get every line of it explained, free.
Explain my report🧩 Related words
🔎 Look up another word
More words: conditions and symptoms
General information about a medical word, not advice about your own results. Ask the clinician who ordered the test what it means for you.