What causes Complications?
As mentioned above, the increased blood volume and increased circulating red cell mass play a key role in the symptoms and complications experienced in cases of uncontrolled polycythemia vera. Thrombosis and hemorrhage are the major complications. Thrombosis may be arterial (coronary, cerebral, peripheral vascular) or venous (involving peripheral, hepatic or portal veins). Small vessel insufficiency produces cyanosis (slightly bluish, grayish or dark purple discoloration), erythromelalgia (pain in fingers and toes), or even gangrene of the digits. Mild hemorrhagic phenomena such as nosebleeds (epistaxis), bleeding gums and easy bruisability are common. More severe bleeding problems such as melena (black tarry stool), hemostasis (stagnation of blood due to lack of circulation), menorrhagia (excessive menstrual bleeding) or hemoptysis (coughing up blood which can originate from the mouth, larynx, trachea, bronchi or lungs) occurs in 10% of patients.
As mentioned above, the increased blood volume and increased circulating red cell mass play a key role in the symptoms and complications experienced in cases of uncontrolled polycythemia vera. Thrombosis and hemorrhage are the major complications. Thrombosis may be arterial (coronary, cerebral, peripheral vascular) or venous (involving peripheral, hepatic or portal veins). Small vessel insufficiency produces cyanosis (slightly bluish, grayish or dark purple discoloration), erythromyelagia (pain in fingers and toes), or even gangrene of the digits. Mild hemorrhagic phenomena such as nosebleeds (epistaxis), bleeding gums and easy bruisability are common. More severe bleeding problems such as melena (black tarry stool), hemostatsis (stagnation of blood-lack of circulation), menorrhagia (excessive menstrual bleeding) or hemoptysis (coughing up blood which can originate from the mouth, larynx, trachea, bronchi or lungs) occurs in 10% of patients. However, there is good news. With modern tre
