What are the possible complications of PV?
• What is the treatment for PV? The aim of treatment for PV is to control complications and reduce the number of red cells. This is achieved by venesection (see below) or by treatment with drugs to slow the production of red blood cells. The choice of treatment is individually tailored based on age, tolerance of venesection, platelet count and history of clotting or bleeding complications. The drugs commonly used to reduce red cell numbers or their stickiness include: • What is a venesection? This simply means the removal of blood. Venesection uses the same technique as blood donation. A needle is put into the vein (in the arm) and roughly 450mls of blood is collected. The doctor will perform this procedure regularly until there is a satisfactory level of blood thickness (haematocrit). The target blood thickness depends on the disease, risk factors, tolerance of the procedure and any previous complications. • What if I have PV and become pregnant? It is really important to discuss any
