Polycythemia - Symptoms and Treatment

Among the varieties of malignant oncological pathologies of the blood occupies a special place polycythemia - symptoms and treatment of the disease associated with the transformation of stem cells in the human body. There are gene mutations and modifications of components of biological fluids that may be either congenital or acquired.

Causes of blood disease polycythemia

To date, is allocated 2 main types of the disease - polycythemia vera, and relative polycythemia. Polycythemia vera can be primary and secondary. In the first case, the causes of the disease are considered to gene mutations, as a result of which are modified a polypotent stem cells, and tyrosine kinase.

Secondary polycythemia occurs on the background of the following disorders:

• hydronephrosis;
• cysts and tumors of the kidneys;
• abnormal hemoglobin concentration;
• ascents to a height;
• chronic lung disease;
• hemangioma of the cerebellum;
• smoking;
• uterine fibroma, and other tumors.

The symptoms of polycythemia

The disease develops very slowly, and sometimes - for decades, which is why any signs absent.

The observed symptoms are usually nonspecific:

• irritability;
• headache;
• absent-mindedness;
• dizziness;
• decreased visual acuity;
• noise in ears;
• hyperemia of the sclera;
• redness of the mucous membranes;
• bluish tinge to the skin in the cold season.

With the progression of thrombocytopenia observed:

• enlargement of the spleen and liver;
• pain in the chest;
• angina;
• thrombosis;
• transient ischemic failures;
• dyspnea;
• myocardial infarction;
• cerebrovascular disorders;
• rodonalgia;
• Raynaud's syndrome;
• peptic ulcer;
• flatulence;
• peripheral vascular disease and vascular walls.

Analysis of blood in polycythemia

Laboratory studies of a biological fluid show a characteristic increase in hemoglobin concentration (up to 180 g / l) and the number of red cells (7.5 to 10 at 12 units per liter). Also calculated the mass of red blood cells (more than 36 ml / kg).

In addition to these parameters, increasing the number of white blood cells (up to 30 - 10 degree at 9) and the platelets (800 - 10 - 9 degree).

In addition, increased viscosity and density of the blood, which explains the appearance of thrombosis.

Treatment of polycythemia

The main principles of treatment are:

prevention of the formation of blood clots and bleeding;
reducing the viscosity of the biological fluid.

Therefore, the main modern methods of treatment - is phlebotomy (bloodletting), cytoreductive chemotherapy, drugs-disaggregants, hydroxycarbamide, human interferon.

Alternative medicine offers many effective ways to thin the blood.

Recipe Herbal tea:

-  Dried or fresh cranberries (2 tablespoons), pour a glass of boiling water.
-  Cover the cup saucer and insist 20 minutes.
-  Drink like tea with honey or sugar.