COPD & Emphysema Support Group
COPD is a progressive disease characterized by airflow obstruction or limitation. Emphysema is characterized by loss of elasticity of the lung tissue, destruction of structures supporting the alveoli and of capillaries feeding the alveoli. Both have symptoms that include shortness of breath, among other respiratory troubles. If you are a COPD or Emphysema sufferer, join...
Secondary Polycythemia: Not As Common As Once Believed in COPD Polycythemia is a blood condition that causes too many red blood cells to be produced in the body. When too many red blood cells are in the blood, the blood becomes thick and sticky, which makes its passage through the smaller blood vessels very difficult. The result -- bothersome symptoms that are indicative of not getting enough oxygen to the tissues.
There are two types of polycythemia: Primary polycythemia which is a result of an abnormality of the bone marrow and secondary polycythemia, which occurs as a result of an underlying disease process, like COPD.
Just how common is polycythemia in COPD? CHEST, the Journal of the American College of Chest Physicians, set out to determine the prevalence of polycythemia in COPD patients in a 2005 research study. Study results concluded that out of 677 COPD patients studied, polycythemia was present in only 36 patients -- a mere 5.3 percent! Their conclusion -- polycythemia was much less common than previously believed, a good thing for COPD patients.
To see the results for yourself, take a look at the study abstract. To read more about secondary polycythemia and what symptoms to watch out for, visit http://tinyurl.com/22vw4n8.
My father had this problem in the last years of his Emphysema.
He had to have the extra blood removed, or bleed off the extra blood once in a while in the Emergency room, and as I recall he always felt better afterward and breathed much easier too.
Happy Saturday to you all,
Breath Easy, Love Holly
There are two types of polycythemia: Primary polycythemia which is a result of an abnormality of the bone marrow and secondary polycythemia, which occurs as a result of an underlying disease process, like COPD.
Just how common is polycythemia in COPD? CHEST, the Journal of the American College of Chest Physicians, set out to determine the prevalence of polycythemia in COPD patients in a 2005 research study. Study results concluded that out of 677 COPD patients studied, polycythemia was present in only 36 patients -- a mere 5.3 percent! Their conclusion -- polycythemia was much less common than previously believed, a good thing for COPD patients.
To see the results for yourself, take a look at the study abstract. To read more about secondary polycythemia and what symptoms to watch out for, visit http://tinyurl.com/22vw4n8.
My father had this problem in the last years of his Emphysema.
He had to have the extra blood removed, or bleed off the extra blood once in a while in the Emergency room, and as I recall he always felt better afterward and breathed much easier too.
Happy Saturday to you all,
Breath Easy, Love Holly
margaret
His doctor would send him to the emergency room and they would bleed off some blood from time to time and he would feel so much better.
Thats why this study was so interesting to me, it doesn't go along with what I was always told.
I am going to ask my doctor about this, maybe you will too.
Polycythemia pachyderms.. elephants that believes in polygamy.
Sorry...
it's hot here so I'm blaming it on the heat.
http://copd.about.com/od/complicationsofcopd/a/polycythemia.htm
Probably made him pack his "trunk", too.
hey, ss, what are you talking bout? what's a bg? blood gas? the wrist blood test? hope checking it relieved your concern!
maragaret
When I first started to read I felt it very bad to have this.
So I guess today I learn something new.....
thank you for the post.
always learning
so, even in this...there's good!
love you!