inappropriate absolute polycythemia

1. What happens if Polycythemia is not treated?
2. What is absolute polycythemia?
3. What is the life expectancy of someone with polycythemia vera?
4. What is the difference between polycythemia and polycythemia vera?
5. What should I eat if I have polycythemia?
6. Does polycythemia go away?
7. How can you tell if a person has polycythemia?
8. Can dehydration cause polycythemia?
9. Does alcohol affect polycythemia?
10. Does polycythemia get worse?
11. Does polycythemia run in families?
12. Can you donate blood if you have polycythemia?

What happens if Polycythemia is not treated?

Without treatment, the extra red blood cells in your veins can cause blood clots that reduce your blood flow. This makes you more likely to have a stroke and heart attack. It can also cause pain (angina) in your chest.

What is absolute polycythemia?

Absolute polycythemia occurs when more RBCs are produced than normal and their count is truly elevated. Causes. Dehydration is a common cause of relative polycythemia. Absolute polycythemia may be primary or secondary. Primary polycythemia (polycythemia vera) is a spontaneous proliferation of RBCs in the bone marrow.

What is the life expectancy of someone with polycythemia vera?

Median survival in patients with polycythemia vera (PV), which is 1.5-3 years in the absence of therapy, has been extended to approximately 14 years overall, and to 24 years for patients younger than 60 years of age, because of new therapeutic tools.

What is the difference between polycythemia and 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.

What should I eat if I have polycythemia?

In general, the guidelines for people with PV are the same as for everyone else: eat a low-fat diet in sensible portions with fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes. Drink plenty of fluids. It's important to stay well hydrated to keep your blood from thickening.

Does polycythemia go away?

You want to feel better, not worse. 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 can you tell if a person has polycythemia?

Symptoms

• Itchiness, especially after a warm bath or shower.
• 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.

Can dehydration cause polycythemia?

Relative polycythemia is an apparent rise of the erythrocyte level in the blood; however, the underlying cause is reduced blood plasma (hypovolemia, cf. dehydration). Relative polycythemia is often caused by loss of body fluids, such as through burns, dehydration, and stress.

Does alcohol affect polycythemia?

Apparent polycythaemia is often caused by being overweight, smoking, drinking too much alcohol or taking certain medicines – including diuretics (tablets for high blood pressure that make you pee more). Apparent polycythaemia may improve if the underlying cause is identified and managed.

Does polycythemia get worse?

It usually happens during the later stages of the disease. Polycythemia vera treatments help reduce your risk of symptoms and complications. But for some people, the disease still gets worse and turns into another blood cancer, despite treatment.

Does polycythemia run in families?

Most cases of polycythemia vera are not inherited. This condition is associated with genetic changes that are somatic, which means they are acquired during a person's lifetime and are present only in certain cells. In rare instances, polycythemia vera has been found to run in families.

Can you donate blood if you have polycythemia?

As a Polycythemia Vera patient, you can not give blood to the Red Cross. You can go to blood centers where they will accept blood from a PV patient for what is referred to as “therapeutic phlebotomy”. You will need to check with the respective blood center in your area.