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Polycythemia vera    See images

Overview | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention

Alternative names:

Waldenstrom's disease; Primary polycythemia; Polycythemia rubra vera; Hyperglobulinemia; Myeloproliferative disorders

Treatment

The objective of treatment is to reduce the high blood viscosity (property of resistance to flow in a fluid or semi-fluid) due to the increased red blood cell mass and to prevent hemorrhage and thrombosis.

Phlebotomy is one method used to reduce the high blood viscosity. In phlebotomy, 1 unit (pint) of blood is removed weekly until the hematocrit is less than 45, then phlebotomy is continued as necessary.

Occasionally, chemotherapy may be given to suppress the bone marrow.

The use of anti-platelet therapy such as aspirin is controversial, because it may cause gastric bleeding.

Allopurinol is given for hyperuricemia (gout).

Prognosis

The median survival is 11 to 15 years. The major cause of death is thrombosis (blood clots causing strokes or heart attacks). Polycythemia may convert to a type of leukemia.

Complications

• Thrombosis (a cause of stroke and heart attack)
• Peptic ulcer disease
• Gastric bleeding
• Gout
• Leukemia
• Heart failure
• Myelofibrosis

Call Your Health Care Provider If:

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if symptoms of polycythemia vera develop.

Ency. home > Disease > P > Polycythemia vera

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