What Causes Polycythemia?

What causes polycythemia vera? Polycythemia vera is

caused by a genetic change (mutation) that develops during your lifetime

. It is not an inherited genetic disorder. In most cases it is not known why this happens.

What is the most common cause of polycythemia?

The most common causes of secondary polycythemia include

obstructive sleep apnea

, obesity hypoventilation syndrome, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Other causes include testosterone replacement therapy and heavy cigarette smoking.

What causes primary polycythemia?

Primary polycythemia is genetic. It’s most commonly caused by

a mutation in the bone marrow cells

, which produce your red blood cells. Secondary polycythemia can also have a genetic cause. But it’s not from a mutation in your bone marrow cells.

What are two possible causes of polycythemia?

• being at a very high altitude.
• obstructive sleep apnea.
• certain types of tumor.
• heart or lung disease that causes a low oxygen level in the body.

Is Primary polycythemia curable?

There’s no cure for polycythemia

vera. Treatment focuses on reducing your risk of complications. These treatments may also ease your symptoms.

What foods to avoid if you have polycythemia?

However, consumption of foods containing saturated fats or trans-fats and those that cause obesity such as red meat,

processed meat

, margarines, processed foods and fried crisps may result in increased burden of symptoms as well as risk of these diseases.

How do you treat polycythemia naturally?

1. Exercise daily. Staying active will help keep your blood flowing and prevent clots. …
2. Take cool baths to prevent skin irritation. …
3. Keep warm. …
4. Drink a lot of water. …
5. Try not to hurt your feet. …
6. Treat itchy skin. …
7. Shield your skin from the sun.

Is polycythemia serious?

Polycythemia vera (pol-e-sy-THEE-me-uh VEER-uh) is a type of blood cancer. It causes your bone marrow to make too many red blood cells. These excess cells thicken your blood, slowing its flow, which may cause serious problems, such as blood clots.

Polycythemia vera is rare

.

How long can you live with polycythemia?

According to an article in Blood Cancer Journal, the median survival time for people with PV

is 14 years after diagnosis

. The authors take this survival time from a study in which half of the participants were still alive 14 years after diagnosis. Younger people tend to live for longer with the disease.

Can dehydration cause polycythemia?

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 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.

What are the signs and symptoms of polycythemia?

• Headaches, dizziness, and weakness.
• Shortness of breath and problems breathing while lying down.
• Feelings of pressure or fullness on the left side of the abdomen due to an enlarged spleen (an organ in the abdomen)
• Double or blurred vision and blind spots.

How long can you live with secondary polycythemia?

The prognosis of patients with secondary polycythemia is generally related to the prognosis of the underlying disorder. However, the polycythemia itself, when physiologic and not sufficiently extreme to cause significant hyperviscosity, is

generally associated with a normal life span

.

How is primary polycythemia treated?

1. Medicines, such as: Low-dose aspirin—to reduce the risk of blood clots. Chemotherapy—to lower blood cell production, control blood thickness, and improve the immune system. …
2. Blood taken from the veins at times—to lower the amount of red blood cells.
3. Surgery to remove the spleen—if it is causing problems.

What is the difference between primary polycythemia and secondary polycythemia?

Primary polycythemia is caused by an abnormality of the cells in the bone marrow that form red blood cells. Secondary polycythemia is caused by a disorder originating outside of the bone marrow that

causes overstimulation

of the normal bone marrow, leading to an overproduction of red blood cells.

Is there a 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.