Overview
Polycythemia Vera is a condition where the malignancy begins in the marrow of the bones, at the soft center where the new blood cells produced. It produce red blood cells abundantly causing the blood to be extremely thick.Signs and Symptoms
Itchiness occuring usually following a warm bath or shower, Headache, Dizziness, Vertigo, Bleeding or bruising easily, Blurred vision, RInging in the ear, Chest pain, Episodic leg pain, Fullness or bloating in your left upper abdomen due to an enlarged spleen, Fevers, Unexplained weight lossCommon Causes
Gene mutationRisk Factors
History of blood clots, Over age 60, High blood pressure, Diabetes, Smoking, High cholesterol, Pregnancy, MalesInvestigation Techniques
Blood tests, Full blood picture, Peripheral blood smear, Arterial oxygen saturation, Coagulation time, Serum uric acid, Erythropoietin levels, Gene test, Bone marrow aspiration or biopsy, Tests for the gene mutation that causes polycythemia veraTreatment and Prevention
Low-dose aspirin, Phlebotomy, Hydroxyurea, Interferon alfa (Intron A), Allopurinol, Surgical removal of speen
