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( 1998 )

-What is polycythemia? What are its causes and treatment?-
Polycythemia is a medical term indicating that there are too many red cells in the blood. It leads to an increase in hemoglobin levels.
The number of red blood cells may be increased by chronic exposure to high altitudes as a way of compensating for a decrease in oxygen. It also may occur in people with chronic lung conditions and certain tumors. Heavy smoking is associated with an increase in carbon monoxide in the blood and may lead to an increase in hemoglobin levels.
Usually the term polycythemia refers to the condition “polycythemia vera” (vera = true) in which the bone marrow is overactive and produces blood cells in excess of the body’s needs. It’s a rare condition of unknown cause most often affecting men in late middle age. It may cause no symptoms and only be discovered when a hemoglobin test or red blood cell count is done. In some people, polycythemia is associated with itching following bathing, dizziness and a flushed appearance of the face.
Treatment commonly involves periodic removal of blood by a procedure similar to blood donation in order to reduce red blood cell counts to normal and reduce risk of heart attack, stroke and blood clots in leg veins. If there is an associated increase in blood platelets or white blood cells, additional treatment may be needed.