Therapy
PV is a chronic disease that generally needs to be treated throughout a patient’s life.
This individual assessment forms the basis for the treatment strategy adopted by the doctor, who weighs up different aspects while deciding when to start treatment: the need to alleviate symptoms of the disease and to prevent complications against the risk of side effects from the drugs involved. Tolerance and/or efficacy of the different medications may also vary, so that a long-term decision can sometimes only be made following an attempt at treatment.
If you learn to accept the disease and to above all adhere to the treatment agreed with your doctor, this will greatly contribute to its success.
Every patient should therefore discuss the disease in detail with their doctor and have no hesitation in expressing any worries and concerns they might have. Such discussion is bound to result in a satisfactory solution.
Polycythaemia vera
Polycythaemia vera (PV) is a chronic disease of the blood-producing cells in the bone marrow. It results in an overproduction of the blood cells that above all affects the red blood cells (erythrocytes).