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39 votes
Polycythemia is the overproduction of red blood cells. What complications could this create for the circulatory system in the following organs/tissues?

1. Blood
2. Blood vessels
3. Heart
4. Spleen

User EeKay
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1 Answer

28 votes
28 votes
Blood clots can cause a heart attack or stroke. They also can cause your liver and spleen to enlarge. Blood clots in the liver and spleen can cause sudden, intense pain.

Slowed blood flow also prevents enough oxygen-rich blood from reaching your organs. This can lead to angina (chest pain or discomfort) and heart failure. The high levels of red blood cells that PV causes can lead to stomach ulcers, gout, or kidney stones.
Blood vessels - deep vein thrombosis (DVT) – a blockage that forms in the blood vessels in your leg before moving elsewhere in your body. Pulmonary embolisms – a blockage in the blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the lungs.
User Ahmed Abidi
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