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Erythrocythemia Research Paper

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Polycythemia or also known as Polycythaemia or Polyglobulia, is a disease state in which the hematocrit (the volume percent of RBC in the blood) is >55%. Dorland's Medical Dictionary It can be due to an increase in the number of RBC, this condition is Absolute Polycythemia. If there is a decrease in the volume of plasma, it is Relative Polycythemia. Sometime PV is Referred to as Erythrocytosis even though the words are not synonymous because Polycythemia refers to any increase in the RBC and Erythrocytosis refers to a documented increase of red cell mass. Absolute Polycythemia is the overproduction of RBC, which can be due to a primary process (Myeloproliferation) in the Bone Marrow, or it may also be a reaction to chronically low oxygen…show more content…
In most serious cases the blood is not able to reach the organs, resulting in enlargement of the liver, blood clots, stroke, and heart attacks. Thrombosis and Myelofibrosis are two other complications that are related to PV. George Krucik, MD, MBA on August 20, 2015 . Thrombosis is a blood clot forming in your veins or arteries. If a clot forms in your brain it can result in a stroke, if the clot forms in your heart you can be at risk for heart attack. Blood clots can also cause joint pain, contribute to kidney stones, gout, or peptic ulcers in the lining of the stomach. Myelofibrosis is serious bone marrow scarring in which the scare tissue replaces the Bone Marrow. This scarring means that you can no longer produce healthy, properly functioning cells where that Bone Marrow has been replaced. This condition can contribute to Liver and Spleen has been enlarged, but reaching this stage is rare. George Krucik, MD, MBA on August 20, 2015
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