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What Is The Life Expectancy With Polycythemia And What Are The Treatments?
My niece, 60 years old has just been diagnosed with Polycythemia vera. I would like to know what the average life expectancy is with this decease when following the treatments prescribed by her doctor. She is Danish and lives in fairly small city on an island.. .She has always been reluctant to give much details when it comes to illnesses so all she has revealed is that she need to have some blood removed at a regular basis and have to take some medicine but what kind she has not revealed. I am also concerned whether if the treatments, if complex will be available in a smaller city. has revealed is that she need to have blood removed on a regular basis and take some medicine which she has not told me what this consists of. but I am concerned that she may not get the proper treatment considerdering the size of the city she lives in.has not yet told me much about her treatments besides having blood tapped at a regular basis and that she needs to take some medicine but which one I do not know.
Fri, 23 May 2014
Hello!
I had gone through your query and understand your concern.
Polycythemia vera is a disorder of the bone marrow. It mainly causes too much production of red blood cells, although the numbers of white blood cells and platelets are also increased.These excess cells thicken the blood and cause complications, such as such as a risk of blood clots or bleeding.
Polycythemia vera isn't common and it usually develops slowly.
Possible complications of polycythemia vera include:
-Blood clots (because the blood is thicken than normal).This can cause a stroke, a heart attack, or blockage of an artery in your lungs (pulmonary embolism) or a deep vein thrombosis.
-Problems due to high levels of red blood cells.
-Enlarged spleen (splenomegaly)
-Skin problems (itching,burning and tingling sensation in skin).
The most serious possible complication of this disease is acute leukemia.
Polycythemia vera is a chronic condition that can't be cured.
The goal of treatment is to reduce the thickness of the blood and prevent bleeding and clotting.
This treatment can prevent complications from this disease and decrease or eliminate the disease's symptoms.
Treatment include:
-Phlebotomy,which is a method that is used to decrease blood thickness. One unit of blood (about 1 pint) is removed weekly until the hematocrit level is less than 42.
-If phlebotomy alone doesn't help , medications, such as hydroxyurea, to suppress bone marrow's ability to produce blood cells may be used
-Low-dose of aspirin to reduce the risk of blood clots.
Hope my answer has helped.
Take care
Dr.Rovena
I had gone through your query and understand your concern.
Polycythemia vera is a disorder of the bone marrow. It mainly causes too much production of red blood cells, although the numbers of white blood cells and platelets are also increased.These excess cells thicken the blood and cause complications, such as such as a risk of blood clots or bleeding.
Polycythemia vera isn't common and it usually develops slowly.
Possible complications of polycythemia vera include:
-Blood clots (because the blood is thicken than normal).This can cause a stroke, a heart attack, or blockage of an artery in your lungs (pulmonary embolism) or a deep vein thrombosis.
-Problems due to high levels of red blood cells.
-Enlarged spleen (splenomegaly)
-Skin problems (itching,burning and tingling sensation in skin).
The most serious possible complication of this disease is acute leukemia.
Polycythemia vera is a chronic condition that can't be cured.
The goal of treatment is to reduce the thickness of the blood and prevent bleeding and clotting.
This treatment can prevent complications from this disease and decrease or eliminate the disease's symptoms.
Treatment include:
-Phlebotomy,which is a method that is used to decrease blood thickness. One unit of blood (about 1 pint) is removed weekly until the hematocrit level is less than 42.
-If phlebotomy alone doesn't help , medications, such as hydroxyurea, to suppress bone marrow's ability to produce blood cells may be used
-Low-dose of aspirin to reduce the risk of blood clots.
Hope my answer has helped.
Take care
Dr.Rovena
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