It’s a blood cancer that begins in the marrow of your bones, the soft center where new blood cells grow. If you have polycythemia vera, your marrow makes too many red blood cells, which causes your blood to get too thick. That can make you more …
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS • Fatigue • Dizziness • Increase sweating • Redness in the face • Blurred vision • Itchiness (especially after a HOT shower) – due to increased basophils and mast cells Polycythemia vera occurs more often in men - Mutations (changes) to the JAK2 gene are the main cause of the disease.
· The excess red blood cells thicken the blood, slowing its flow which in turn may cause serious problems such as blood clots. The signs and symptoms of polycythemia includes dizziness, weakness, headaches, Shortness of breath and problems breathing while lying down, and feelings of pressure or fullness on the left side of the abdomen due to an enlarged spleen.
Symptoms of polycythemia include symptoms related to excessive thickening of the blood, such as reddened face, bleeding of the gums, dizziness, and itchiness. Polycythemia can also affect the eyes and ears, leading to blurred vision or tinnitus. In more serious cases of polycythemia, thrombosis (clotting) can develop, ...
Polycythemia is more common in adults over 60 years of age, and about one in every 200,000 people is diagnosed each year with the condition (Source: NHLBI ). In the early stages of polycythemia, symptoms may be mild and include flushed face, dizziness, and impaired senses. In more severe cases, thrombosis (blood clotting) may occur, ...
This can be performed by periodic blood draws to reduce red blood cell count. In some cases, medications may be administered to suppress the bone marrow and reduce blood cell counts, including hydroxyurea and interferon.
In some cases, the complications of polycythemia, including heart attack and stroke, can be life threatening. Seek immediate medical care (call 911) if you, or someone you are with, have any of these life-threatening symptoms including:
Polycythemia may also lead to less severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing when lying down or excessive bleeding. Seek prompt medical care if these symptoms persist, as early diagnosis and intervention are critical to preventing more severe symptoms.
While polycythemia is rare, generally treatable, and usually mild, serious complications such as heart attack or stroke can occur if left untreated. Seek immediate medical care (call 911) for any sudden symptoms of heart attack or stroke, such as sudden numbness, weakness, confusion, vision problems, or chest pain.
In secondary polycythemia, long-term oxygen deprivation, such as from chronic smoking or long periods spent at high altitudes, causes increased production of red blood cells and resultant blood thickening. This form of polycythemia often resolves once the cause of oxygen deprivation is addressed. In all cases of polycythemia, treatment by periodic blood draws or medications to reduce the number of blood cells is generally effective, although there is no cure for the condition.
Determining the underlying type of polycythemia helps doctors know how best to treat or manage the issue. If treatment is possible, the person should make a full recovery.
A person with polycythemia may experience headaches, dizziness, and excessive sweating.
Blood tests. Blood tests , such as a complete blood count, will reveal any increase in red blood cells in the bloodstream, as well as any abnormal levels of platelets and white blood cells. If PV seems possible, a doctor will order more specific blood tests.
reddish or purplish skin on the palms, earlobes, and nose
PV is not necessarily hereditary, and most people with the disease do not have a family history of PV. However, there appears to be a connection to a certain genetic mutation. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society note that almost all individuals with PV have a mutation in the Janus kinase 2 ( JAK2) gene.
The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences note that most cases of PV appear as a person ages, usually around the age of 60 years. They also note that it is more common in men than in women. PV is not necessarily hereditary, and most people with the disease do not have a family history of PV.
PV is a rare, slow growing blood cancer that is a type of condition known as a myeloproliferative neoplasm. PV causes the bone marrow to create excess precursor blood cells that develop and function abnormally, leading to the production of too many red blood cells.
Understand the types of cerebral edema: vasogenic, ischemic, cytotoxic, and interstitial.
Children with phenylketonuria (PKU) are unable to synthesize: ESSENTIAL AMINO ACID, PHENYLALANINE, TO TYROSINE. *PKU is an inborn error of metabolism characterized by the inability of the body to convert the essential amino acid, phenylalanine, to tyrosine. PKU does not affect synthesis of the other options.