Polycythemia

Question 1

What is absolute polycythemia?

Answer 1

True increase in the number of red cells without a change in total blood volume, can be caused by primary or secondary condition

Question 2

What is primary absolute polycythemia?

Answer 2

Called polycythemia Vera, a rare disorder, unregulated overproduction of red cells occurs in the bone marrow

Question 3

What is secondary absolute polycythemia?

Answer 3

• An appropriate response to hypoxemia and erythropoietin stimulation
• An inappropriate response to renal disease or neoplasia

Question 4

What is relative polycythemia?

Answer 4

Total body mass of RBCs remains constant but appears elevated on lab testing = stress and excitement can release RBC pools from spleen and bone marrow storage