What is Polycythemia?!

What is Polycythemia?

Condition and treatment?

3 days ago
Are there known causes, and what is expected mortality rate?
Red hands or blue face seem to be indications of this condition. Contagion or causes? Thanks for great answers thus far.

Polycythemia vera is a blood disorder in which your bone marrow makes too many red blood cells. Polycythemia vera also may result in production of too many of the other types of cells in your blood — white blood cells and platelets. But, it's the excess red blood cells that thicken your blood and cause most of the health concerns associated with polycythemia vera.
Treatment
Polycythemia vera is a chronic condition that can't be cured. Treatment focuses on reducing your amount of blood cells in order to control signs and symptoms of the disease and decrease the risk of complications.

Treatment may include:

Phlebotomy. This is usually the first treatment option for most people with polycythemia vera. Phlebotomy involves drawing a certain amount of blood from one of your veins. This reduces the number of blood cells and decreases your blood volume, making it easier for your blood to function properly. How often you need phlebotomy depends on the severity of your condition.
Medication to decrease blood cells. Phlebotomy alone may not be enough to control the signs, symptoms and complications of polycythemia vera in some people. If this is the case for you, your doctor may prescribe medications such as hydroxyurea or anagrelide to suppress your bone marrow's ability to produce blood cells. Radioactive phosphorus (32p) also can be used to reduce the number of red blood cells. Interferon-alpha may be used to stimulate your immune system to fight the overproduction of red blood cells.
Low-dose aspirin. Your doctor may recommend you take a low dose of aspirin to reduce your risk of blood clots. Low-dose aspirin may also help reduce burning pain in your feet or hands.
Therapy to reduce itching. If you have bothersome itching, your doctor may prescribe medication, such as antihistamines or H-2-receptor blockers, or recommend ultraviolet light treatment to relieve your discomfort.
Researchers are studying treatments for polycythemia vera to block the activated protein JAK2 V617F. Although no treatments with this ability are currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration, these types of polycythemia vera treatments may be available in the future.

Polycythemia vera — also called primary polycythemia — occurs most often in older adults. It's rare in people younger than 20. Polycythemia vera usually develops very slowly. You may have it for years without noticing any signs or symptoms. Often, polycythemia vera is found during a blood test done for some other reason.

There's no cure for polycythemia vera. To reduce or prevent symptoms and complications from polycythemia vera, treatment focuses on decreasing your number of blood cells. In some cases, polycythemia vera can cause serious complications and, rarely, lead to other blood disorders. But, with proper medical care, many people with polycythemia vera experience few problems related to the disease.