Medical dilemmas – erythrocytosis

Abstract

Erythrocytosis is defined not only by an increase in the erythrocyte count, hemoglobin concentration, and hematocrit value, but also by the occurrence of specific symptoms, the intensity and frequency of which depend on the character of the initial genetic lesion. Ischemic episodes and thrombotic complications caused by increased blood viscosity are frequently the first clinical manifestation of the disease. This paper represents the current level of knowledge about the pathogenesis of erythrocytosis and the diagnostic algorithms used to precisely define the type of the disease.