Polycythemia
Polycythemia Causes
This characteristic overproduction of red blood cells may be caused by a primary process occurring in the bone marrow called the myeloproliferative syndrome, or a rare malignancy wherein it is a reaction to chronically low levels of oxygen. For secondary polycythemia, other causes may include: smoking, renal tumors, liver tumors, heart or lung diseases that result in hypoxia, and endocrine abnormalities including pheochromocytoma and adrenal adenoma with Cushing's syndrome, among others.
Polycythemia Definition
Polycythemia, or erythrocytosis, is a condition where there is a net increase in the total number of blood cells, primarily in the red blood cells, of the body. There are different types of polycythemia: primary polycythemia (polycythemia vera), secondary polycythemia, chuvash polycythemia, and relative polycythemia
Polycythemia Diagnosis
Doctors may conduct blood tests to check the level of red blood cells in the body.
Polycythemia Symptoms and Signs
Patients with this disorder may experience any or a combination of the following symptoms: headaches, vertigo, and an abnormally enlarged spleen and/or liver. Some patients may also have high blood pressure or form blood clots.
Polycythemia Treatment
Phlebotomy is the mainstay treatment of this disease. For more severe cases transformation to acute leukemia, but this is rare.