The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is the rate at which red blood cells sediment in a period of one hour. It is a common hematology test, and is a non-specific measure of inflammation. The normal range is 0-22 mm/hr for men and 0-29 mm/hr for women. If your ESR is high, it may be related to an inflammatory condition, such as: - Infection - Rheumatoid arthritis - Rheumatic fever - Vascular disease - Inflammatory bowel disease - Heart disease - Kidney disease - Certain cancers