What are the symptoms and risks of polycythemia vera?
Polycythemia vera is insidious in onset and may be present for 1 to 2 years before medical attention is sought. During the asymptomatic phase, polycythemia vera may be discovered at the time of a routine examination which reveals an elevated hematocrit. Polycythemia vera is the only myeloproliferative disease in which involvement of the erythrocytes (red cells) results in an increased red cell mass. This feature of “too much blood” results in unique symptoms and complications. Basically, patients are at higher risk of clotting or bleeding problems related to the resulting hypervolemia (increased blood volume) and viscosity (thickness). Thrombosis and haemorrhaging are big problems at the outset, especially before diagnosis but once this is properly controlled, risks are reduced. Symptoms caused by the elevated hematocrit are present initially in 30 to 50% of patients and may cause the patient to seek medical attention for symptoms such as plethora (too much blood), headache, dizziness,
