Primary thrombocythemia

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Blood cells

Essential thrombocythemia; Essential thrombocytosis

If a patient has life-threatening complications, a procedure to remove platelets directly from the blood (platelet pheresis) can quickly decrease the platelet count.

Long-term use of medications to decrease the platelet count can reduce both bleeding and clotting complications. The most commonly used medications include hydroxyurea, interferon-alpha, or anagrelide.

In patients who are at high risk for clotting (older patients, those with very high platelet levels or who have had past clotting episodes), aspirin at a low dose (81 to 100 mg per day) decreases clotting episodes.

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Many patients do not need any treatment. However, the health care provider should monitor their condition.

The outcome varies. Most people go long periods of time without complications and have a normal life expectancy. In a very small number of patients, complications from bleeding (hemorrhage) and blood clots (thrombosis) can cause serious problems.

In a small number of patients, the disease will change into acute leukemia or myelofibrosis.

• Acute leukemia or myelofibrosis
• Severe bleeding (hemorrhage)
• Thrombotic episodes (stroke, heart attack, or blood clots in the hands or feet)

Call your health care provider:

• If unexplained or prolonged bleeding occurs
• If chest pain, leg pain, confusion, weakness, numbness, or other new symptoms develop

Review Date: 02/28/2011
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Yi-Bin Chen, MD, Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).