Secondary polycythemia most often develops as a response to chronic hypoxemia, which triggers increased production of erythropoietin by the kidneys. The most common causes of secondary polycythemia include obstructive sleep apnea, obesity hypoventilation syndrome, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
How long can you live with secondary polycythemia?
It’s usually due to an underlying condition, which can range in severity from sleep apnea to serious heart disease. If the underlying condition isn’t serious, most people with secondary polycythemia can expect a normal lifespan.
What symptoms may occur in a patient with polycythemia vera?
What are the symptoms of polycythemia vera?
- Lack of energy (fatigue) or weakness.
- Headache.
- Dizziness.
- Shortness of breath and trouble breathing while lying down.
- Vision problems, such as double vision, blurred vision, and blind spots.
- Inability to concentrate.
- Night sweats.
- Face and becomes red and warm (flushed)
How does polycythemia make you feel?
Numbness, tingling, burning, or weakness in your hands, feet, arms or legs. A feeling of fullness soon after eating and bloating or pain in your left upper abdomen due to an enlarged spleen. Unusual bleeding, such as a nosebleed or bleeding gums. Painful swelling of one joint, often the big toe.
Is secondary polycythemia the same as polycythemia vera?
Secondary polycythemia is defined as an absolute increase in red blood cell mass that is caused by enhanced stimulation of red blood cell production. In contrast, polycythemia vera is characterized by bone marrow with an inherent increased proliferative activity.
Can secondary polycythemia go away?
Remember that secondary polycythemia is caused by an underlying condition, most of which are well known and have multiple treatment options available. Once the underlying cause is corrected, symptoms of secondary polycythemia usually go away.
How fast does polycythemia vera progress?
One study shows that anywhere from 2% to 14% of the time, polycythemia vera changes into AML within 10 years. In this disease, stem cells in your bone marrow turn into unhealthy blood cells, including white blood cells called myeloblasts. These cells grow out of control, crowding out healthy blood cells.
Can polycythemia vera cause leg pain?
PV causes blood to be thicker than normal due to high levels of red blood cells and platelets. If you have PV and leg pain, a clot may be the cause. A high red blood cell count makes blood thicker so it flows less efficiently.
Can a person’s blood be too thick?
Blood Can Be Too Thin or Too Thick. Blood that is too thick can lead to blood clots, and blood that is too thin can lead to easy bruising or bleeding. Problems with blood thickness can occur from birth, or develop later in life. Blood thickness may be affected by foods, drugs, and various medical conditions.
Does polycythemia make you cold?
PV causes poor blood flow in your hands and feet. As a result, you may be more prone to injuries from cold, heat, and pressure. If you have PV, avoid long-term exposure to extremes in temperature or pressure.
What are the signs of thick blood?
What are the symptoms of thick blood?
- blurred vision.
- dizziness.
- easy bruising.
- excessive menstrual bleeding.
- gout.
- headache.
- high blood pressure.
- itching skin.
When is phlebotomy needed for secondary polycythemia?
Phlebotomy should be performed in any patient with secondary polycythemia prior to any elective surgery. In patients with physiologically appropriate erythrocytosis, as the increased red cell mass is a compensatory mechanism of the body, phlebotomy should not be performed in order to maintain proper tissue oxygenation.
What are the later symptoms of polycythemia vera?
Other later symptoms or complications of polycythemia vera may include: High level of uric acid in the blood An increased risk of peptic ulcer disease Gout
How serious is polycythemia vera?
Polycythemia vera (pol-e-sy-THEE-me-uh VEER-uh) is a type of blood cancer. It causes your bone marrow to make too many red blood cells. These excess cells thicken your blood, slowing its flow, which may cause serious problems, such as blood clots. Polycythemia vera is rare.
How do I treat polycythemia vera?
Drawing some blood out of your veins in a procedure called phlebotomy is usually the main treatment for people with polycythemia vera. This decreases your blood volume and reduces the number of excess blood cells. How often you need to have blood drawn depends on the severity of your condition.
How is secondary polycythemia diagnosed?
Symptoms
