Polycythemia vera is a myeloproliferative disease of hematopoietic cells, characterized by uncontrolled proliferation of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.
Increasing these cells, especially red blood cells, thickens the blood, which can lead to other complications such as enlarged spleen and increased blood clots, increasing the risk of thrombosis, myocardial infarction or stroke or even causing other diseases such as acute myeloid. leukemia or myeloobrosa.
- Treatment consists of performing a procedure called a phlebotomy and giving medications that help regulate the number of cells in the blood.
The high number of red blood cells causes an increase in hemoglobin and blood viscosity, which can cause neurological symptoms such as dizziness, headache, increased blood pressure, visual disturbances and transient ischemia accidents.
In addition, people with this disease often experience generalized itching, especially after a hot shower, weakness, weight loss, fatigue, blurred vision, excessive sweating, swelling of the joints, shortness of breath, and numbness, tingling, burns, or weakness in the limb. .
To diagnose the disease, blood tests should be performed, which in people with polycythemia Vera, show an increase in the number of red blood cells and, in some cases, an increase in white blood cells and platelets, elevated hemoglobin levels. and low erythropoietin levels.
In addition, a bone marrow puncture or biopsy may also be performed to obtain a sample to be tested at a later date.
There are cases of people with Vera polyglobulia who have no signs or symptoms. However, some cases can lead to more serious problems:
Increased blood depth and consequent decreased blood flow and changes in platelet count can cause blood clots, which can lead to a heart attack, stroke, pulmonary embolism or thrombosis. . Learn more about cardiovascular disease.
The spleen helps the body fight infection and helps eliminate damaged blood cells. The increase in the number of red blood cells or even other blood cells causes the spleen to work harder than normal, resulting in an increase in size. Learn more about splenomegaly.
Although rare, polycythemia vera can lead to other more serious conditions, such as myelofibrosis, myelodysplastic syndrome, or acute leukemia. In some cases, the bone marrow may also develop progressive fibrosis and hypocellularity.
To avoid complications, in addition to being recommended to follow the treatment correctly, it is also important to adopt a healthier lifestyle, exercise regularly, which improves blood circulation and reduces the risk of blood clots. Smoking should also be avoided, as it increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
In addition, the skin should be treated well, to reduce itching, bathing with warm water, using a gentle shower gel and a hypoallergenic cream and avoiding extreme temperatures, which can worsen blood circulation. . To do this, sun exposure should be avoided during warm periods of the day and protect the body from exposure to very cold climates.
Polycythemia vera occurs when a JAK2 gene mutates, causing problems with the production of blood cells. It is a rare disease that affects approximately 2 out of 100,000 people, generally over 60 years of age.
Generally, the healthy body regulates the amount of production of each of the three types of blood cells: red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets, but in polycythemia vera there is an exaggerated production of one or more types of blood cells.
Polycythemia vera is a chronic and incurable disease and treatment consists of reducing excess blood cells and, in some cases, reducing the risk of complications:
Therapeutic Phlebotomy: This technique involves draining blood from the veins, which is usually the first treatment option for people with this condition. This procedure reduces the amount of red blood cells while reducing blood volume.
Aspirin: Your doctor may prescribe low-dose aspirin, between 100 and 150 mg, to reduce your risk of blood clots.
Medications to lower blood cells: If phlebotomy is not enough for treatment to be effective, it may be necessary to take medications such as:
If your itching becomes too severe, you may need to take ultraviolet light therapy or use medications such as paroxetine or fluoxetine.