Polycythemia vera (patient information)

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Polycythemia vera
Overview
What are the symptoms?
What are the causes?
Who is at highest risk?
When to seek urgent medical care?
Diagnosis
Treatment options
Prevention
Where to find medical care for Polycythemia vera?
What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?
Possible complications
Prevention
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Risk calculators and risk factors for Polycythemia vera

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

What are the symptoms of Polycythemia vera?

Symptoms may include any of the following:

Trouble breathing when lying down Dizziness Excess bleeding Full feeling in the left upper abdomen (due to enlarged spleen) Headache Itchiness, especially after a warm bath Red skin coloring, especially of the face Shortness of breath Symptoms of blood clots in veins near the skin surface (phlebitis)

Other symptoms that may occur with this disease:

Bluish skin color Fatigue Red skin spots Vision problems

What causes Polycythemia vera?

Polycythemia vera is a disorder of the bone marrow. It mainly causes too many red blood cells to be produced. The numbers of white blood cells and platelets may also be higher than normal.

This is a rare disorder that occurs more often in men than in women. It is not usually seen in people under age 40. The problem is often linked to a gene defect called JAK2V617F. The cause of this gene defect is unknown.

Where to find medical care for Polycythemia vera?

Directions to Hospitals Treating Polycythemia vera