phlebotomy 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.

1. How is secondary polycythemia treated?
2. How often should phlebotomy be done with polycythemia?
3. Can I donate blood if I have secondary polycythemia?
4. How does phlebotomy help correct polycythemia?
5. Can secondary polycythemia go away?
6. When is phlebotomy needed for secondary polycythemia?
7. How can you tell if a person has polycythemia?
8. Can polycythemia go into remission?
9. What should I eat if I have polycythemia?
10. Is secondary polycythemia rare?
11. What is the most common cause of secondary polycythemia?
12. What is the difference between secondary polycythemia and polycythemia vera?

How is secondary polycythemia treated?

The main treatments for secondary polycythemia are: low-dose aspirin to thin your blood. bloodletting, also known as phlebotomy or venesection.

How often should phlebotomy be done with polycythemia?

How often will you get phlebotomy for polycythemia vera (PV)? You'll get this treatment once a week or month until your hematocrit goes down to around 45%. Hematocrit is the percentage of red blood cells compared with the total amount of blood.

Can I donate blood if I have secondary 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.

How does phlebotomy help correct polycythemia?

The most common treatment for polychythemia vera is having frequent blood withdrawals, using a needle in a vein (phlebotomy). It's the same procedure used for donating blood. This decreases your blood volume and reduces the number of excess blood cells.

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.

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.

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 polycythemia go into remission?

Abstract. A 20-year-old woman presented with polycythemia vera and was treated with phlebotomy alone for eleven years, following which all clinical manifestations of the disease disappeared. The clinical remission with normal physical findings and normal peripheral blood counts has persisted for a further 11 years.

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.

Is secondary polycythemia rare?

Secondary polycythemia is a rare disease that involves the overproduction of red blood cells. The overproduction of the red cells can be due to a number of reasons ranging from genetic abnormalities to secondary to other diseases.

What is the most common cause of secondary polycythemia?

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).

What is the difference between secondary 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.