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Diseases » Polycythemia vera » Symptoms
 

Symptoms of Polycythemia vera

Symptoms of Polycythemia vera

The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources for Polycythemia vera includes the 17 symptoms listed below:

Research symptoms & diagnosis of Polycythemia vera:

Polycythemia vera: Complications

Review medical complications possibly associated with Polycythemia vera:

Polycythemia vera Symptoms: Book Excerpts

Research More About Polycythemia vera

Do I have Polycythemia vera?

Less Common Symptoms of Polycythemia vera:

Ocassionally other symptoms may also present themselves as symptoms of Polycythemia vera. 1 of the more common ones are included in the list below:

Wrongly Diagnosed with Polycythemia vera?

The list of other diseases or medical conditions that may be on the differential diagnosis list of alternative diagnoses for Polycythemia vera includes:

See the full list of 10 alternative diagnoses for Polycythemia vera

More about symptoms of Polycythemia vera:

More information about symptoms of Polycythemia vera and related conditions:

Other Possible Causes of these Symptoms

Click on any of the symptoms below to see a full list of other causes including diseases, medical conditions, toxins, drug interactions, or drug side effect causes of that symptom.

Medical Books Online about Polycythemia vera

Medical Books Excerpts Excerpts of published medical book chapters related to Polycythemia vera are available from published medical books for more detailed information about Polycythemia vera.

Medical Books Excerpts
  • Polycythemia
  • "The 10-Minute Diagnosis Manual: Symptoms and Signs in the Time-Limited Encounter" (2000)

Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

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Symptoms of Polycythemia vera: Online Medical Books

16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the symptoms of Polycythemia vera.


Polycythemia vera: Signs and symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

Increased RBC mass results in hyperviscosity and inhibits blood flow to microcirculation. Subsequently, increased viscosity, diminished velocity, and thrombocytosis promote intravascular thrombosis. In early stages, polycythemia vera usually produces no symptoms. (Increased hematocrit [HCT] may be an incidental finding.) However, as altered circulation secondary to increased RBC mass produces hypervolemia and hyperviscosity, the patient may complain of a feeling of fullness in the head, headache, dizziness, and other symptoms, depending on the body system affected. The patient may also complain of severe itching after a warm or hot shower. Hyperviscosity may lead to thrombosis of smaller vessels with ruddy cyanosis of the nose and clubbing of the digits.

Paradoxically, hemorrhage is a complication of polycythemia vera. It may be due to defective platelet function or to hyperviscosity and the local effects from excess RBCs exerting pressure on distended venous and capillary walls. (See Clinical features of polycythemia vera.)

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005

Spurious polycythemia: Signs and symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

The patient with spurious polycythemia usually has no specific symptoms but may have vague complaints, such as headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Less commonly, he may develop diaphoresis, dyspnea, and claudication.

Typically, the patient has a ruddy appearance, a short neck, slight hypertension, and a tendency to hypoventilate when recumbent. He shows no associated hepatosplenomegaly but may have cardiac or pulmonary disease.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005

Secondary polycythemia: Signs and symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

In the hypoxic patient, suggestive physical findings include ruddy cyanotic skin, emphysema, and hypoxemia without hepatosplenomegaly or hypertension. Clubbing of the fingers may occur if the underlying disease is cardiovascular. When secondary polycythemia isn’t caused by hypoxemia, it’s usually an incidental finding during treatment of an underlying disease.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005

Polycythemia vera: Signs and symptoms
(Handbook of Diseases)

Increased RBC mass results in hyperviscosity and inhibits blood flow to microcirculation. Subsequently, increased viscosity, diminished velocity, and thrombocytosis promote intravascular thrombosis.

Progressive features

In its early stages, polycythemia vera usually doesn’t produce symptoms. (Increased hematocrit may be an incidental finding.) However, as altered circulation (secondary to increased RBC mass) produces hypervolemia and hyperviscosity, the patient may complain of a feeling of fullness in the head, headache, dizziness, and other symptoms, depending on the body system affected. (See Clinical features of polycythemia vera.) Hyperviscosity may lead to thrombosis of smaller vessels with ruddy cyanosis of the nose and clubbing of the digits.

Complication

Paradoxically, hemorrhage is a complication of polycythemia vera. It may be due to defective platelet function or to hyperviscosity and the local effects from excess RBCs exerting pressure on distended venous and capillary walls.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003

Polycythemia, spurious: Signs and symptoms
(Handbook of Diseases)

The patient with spurious polycythe-mia usually doesn’t have specific symptoms but may have vague complaints, such as headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Less commonly, he may develop diaphoresis, dyspnea, and claudication.

Typically, the patient has a ruddy appearance, a short neck, slight hyper-tension, and a tendency to hypoventilate when recumbent. He doesn’t show an associated hepatosplenomegaly but may have cardiac or pulmonary disease.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003

Polycythemia, secondary: Signs and symptoms
(Handbook of Diseases)

In the hypoxic patient, suggestive physical findings include ruddy cya-notic skin, emphysema, hypoxemia without hepatosplenomegaly, or hypertension. Clubbing of the fingers may occur if the underlying disease is cardiovascular. When the cause isn’t hypoxemia, secondary polycythemia is usually an incidental finding during treatment of an underlying disease.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003

Polycythemia: Polycythemia - signs & symptoms
(The 5-Minute Pediatric Consult)

  • Central and acral cyanosis
  • Signs of dehydration:
    • Dry mucous membranes
    • No tears
    • Poor skin turgor
  • Heart murmur
  • Clubbing
  • Plethora:
    • Conjunctival
    • Mucous membranes
    • Nail beds
  • Splenomegaly:
    • Present in 75% of patients with PCV
  • Headache, paresthesias, dizziness, syncope
  • Transient blindness
  • Decreased exercise tolerance, respiratory distress, dyspnea on exertion, oxygen requirement
  • Pruritus
  • Lethargy

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: The 5-Minute Pediatric Consult, 2008

Polycythemia vera as a Cause of Symptoms or Medical Conditions

When considering symptoms of Polycythemia vera, it is also important to consider Polycythemia vera as a possible cause of other medical conditions. The Disease Database lists the following medical conditions that Polycythemia vera may cause:

- (Source - Diseases Database)

Polycythemia vera as a symptom:

For a more detailed analysis of Polycythemia vera as a symptom, including causes, drug side effect causes, and drug interaction causes, please see our Symptom Center information for Polycythemia vera.

Medical articles and books on symptoms:

These general reference articles may be of interest in relation to medical signs and symptoms of disease in general:

Full list of premium articles on symptoms and diagnosis

About signs and symptoms of Polycythemia vera:

The symptom information on this page attempts to provide a list of some possible signs and symptoms of Polycythemia vera. This signs and symptoms information for Polycythemia vera has been gathered from various sources, may not be fully accurate, and may not be the full list of Polycythemia vera signs or Polycythemia vera symptoms. Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Polycythemia vera may vary on an individual basis for each patient. Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they are indeed Polycythemia vera symptoms.


 » Next page: Diagnostic Tests for Polycythemia vera

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