Polycythemia Vera is a disorder of blood precursor cells, which causes red blood cells to be present in excessive amounts.
The disorder is rare, only about five out of a million people.
The average is diagnosed at age 60, but can occur at a younger age.
CAUSE
The cause is unknown.
SYMPTOMS
Excess red blood cells will increase the volume of blood and cause the blood becomes more viscous so it is more difficult to flow through small blood vessels (hiperviskositas).
The number of red blood cells may increase long before the onset of symptoms.
The initial symptoms are often weak, tired, headache, dizziness and shortness of breath.
There may be visual impairment and the patient may have blind spots or may see flashes of light.
Bleeding on the gums and small incisions often occurs, and the skin (especially the skin) looks reddish.
Patients can feel itchy throughout the body, especially after a warm bath.
Feet and heat are hot (like burning) and sometimes the bones feel pain.
There can be an enlarged liver and spleen, which causes a dulled abdominal pain that arises.
COMPLICATIONS
Excess red blood cells may be related to other complications:
- gastric ulcers
- kidney stones
- blood clots inside the veins and arteries that can cause heart attacks and strokes and can clog
The disorder is rare, only about five out of a million people.
The average is diagnosed at age 60, but can occur at a younger age.
CAUSE
The cause is unknown.
SYMPTOMS
Excess red blood cells will increase the volume of blood and cause the blood becomes more viscous so it is more difficult to flow through small blood vessels (hiperviskositas).
The number of red blood cells may increase long before the onset of symptoms.
The initial symptoms are often weak, tired, headache, dizziness and shortness of breath.
There may be visual impairment and the patient may have blind spots or may see flashes of light.
Bleeding on the gums and small incisions often occurs, and the skin (especially the skin) looks reddish.
Patients can feel itchy throughout the body, especially after a warm bath.
Feet and heat are hot (like burning) and sometimes the bones feel pain.
There can be an enlarged liver and spleen, which causes a dulled abdominal pain that arises.
COMPLICATIONS
Excess red blood cells may be related to other complications:
- gastric ulcers
- kidney stones
- blood clots inside the veins and arteries that can cause heart attacks and strokes and can clog
blood flow to the arms and legs.
Sometimes polycythemia vera develops into leukemia.
DIAGNOSIS
Polycythaemia vera can be diagnosed on routine blood tests performed for other reasons, even before the patient shows symptoms.
Hemoglobin levels (oxygen-carrying proteins in red blood cells) and hematocrit (percentage of red blood cells in total blood volume) are high. Hematocrit is more than 54% in men and more than 49% in women may exhibit polycythemia, but the diagnosis can not be enforced solely on the value of the hematocrit alone.
To confirm the diagnosis, a red blood cell examination has been labeled a radioactive substance, which can determine the total number of red blood cells in the body.
Sometimes a bone marrow biopsy is performed.
High hematocrit values can also show relative polycythemia, where the number of red blood cells is normal but the amount of the blood in the blood is low.
Excess red blood cells due to other conditions other than polycythemia vera are called secondary pyreththaemia; as happens in the low levels of oxygen in the blood that stimulates the bone marrow to produce more red blood cells.
Therefore an increase in the number of red blood cells can occur in:
- patients with chronic lung disease or heart disease
- smoker
- people living in mountainous areas.
To distinguish polycythemia vera from secondary polycythemia, measurements of oxygen levels in arterial blood samples were performed. If oxygen levels are low, it is a secondary polycythaemia.
Levels of erythripoietin (a hormone that stimulates the formation of red blood cells by the bone marrow) in the blood can also be measured.
Very low levels are found in patients with polycythemia vera, whereas in normal or high levels of polycythemia vera.
Sometimes cysts in the liver or kidneys and tumors in the kidney or brain produce erythropoietin, so that sufferers may have high levels of erythropoietin and may suffer from secondary polycythemia.
TREATMENT
The goal of treatment is to slow the formation of red blood cells and reduce the number of red blood cells.
Usually blood is taken from the body by a procedure called flebotomy. A small amount of blood is taken daily until the hematocrit values begin to decline. If the value of hematocrit has reached normal, then darh taken every few months, as needed.
In some patients, the formation of red blood cells in the bone marrow accelerates, so the number of platelets in the blood increases or the spleen and heart dilates.
Flebotomy also causes an increase in the number of platelets and does not cause a decrease in the size of organs, so patients need chemotherapy to suppress the formation of blood cells. Usually given a hydroxyurea anticancer drug.
Other drugs can control some symptoms:
- antihistamines can help reduce itching
- aspirin can reduce the heat in the hands and feet, also reduce bone pain.
PROGNOSIS
Without treatment, about 50% of patients with symptoms will die in less than 2 years.
With treatment, they live up to 15-20 years later.
Sometimes polycythemia vera develops into leukemia.
DIAGNOSIS
Polycythaemia vera can be diagnosed on routine blood tests performed for other reasons, even before the patient shows symptoms.
Hemoglobin levels (oxygen-carrying proteins in red blood cells) and hematocrit (percentage of red blood cells in total blood volume) are high. Hematocrit is more than 54% in men and more than 49% in women may exhibit polycythemia, but the diagnosis can not be enforced solely on the value of the hematocrit alone.
To confirm the diagnosis, a red blood cell examination has been labeled a radioactive substance, which can determine the total number of red blood cells in the body.
Sometimes a bone marrow biopsy is performed.
High hematocrit values can also show relative polycythemia, where the number of red blood cells is normal but the amount of the blood in the blood is low.
Excess red blood cells due to other conditions other than polycythemia vera are called secondary pyreththaemia; as happens in the low levels of oxygen in the blood that stimulates the bone marrow to produce more red blood cells.
Therefore an increase in the number of red blood cells can occur in:
- patients with chronic lung disease or heart disease
- smoker
- people living in mountainous areas.
To distinguish polycythemia vera from secondary polycythemia, measurements of oxygen levels in arterial blood samples were performed. If oxygen levels are low, it is a secondary polycythaemia.
Levels of erythripoietin (a hormone that stimulates the formation of red blood cells by the bone marrow) in the blood can also be measured.
Very low levels are found in patients with polycythemia vera, whereas in normal or high levels of polycythemia vera.
Sometimes cysts in the liver or kidneys and tumors in the kidney or brain produce erythropoietin, so that sufferers may have high levels of erythropoietin and may suffer from secondary polycythemia.
TREATMENT
The goal of treatment is to slow the formation of red blood cells and reduce the number of red blood cells.
Usually blood is taken from the body by a procedure called flebotomy. A small amount of blood is taken daily until the hematocrit values begin to decline. If the value of hematocrit has reached normal, then darh taken every few months, as needed.
In some patients, the formation of red blood cells in the bone marrow accelerates, so the number of platelets in the blood increases or the spleen and heart dilates.
Flebotomy also causes an increase in the number of platelets and does not cause a decrease in the size of organs, so patients need chemotherapy to suppress the formation of blood cells. Usually given a hydroxyurea anticancer drug.
Other drugs can control some symptoms:
- antihistamines can help reduce itching
- aspirin can reduce the heat in the hands and feet, also reduce bone pain.
PROGNOSIS
Without treatment, about 50% of patients with symptoms will die in less than 2 years.
With treatment, they live up to 15-20 years later.
Polycythemia is a long-running situation and does not have any procedure of treatment or says it can’t be cured. Though, specialists are of the outlook that intake of Natural Remedies for Polycythemia Vera could assist in thinning of blood and obstruct blood clots.
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