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Secondary Erythrocytosis

Meaning

Secondary erythrocytosis is a clinical condition characterized by an elevated red blood cell mass that is not due to a primary bone marrow disorder but is a physiological response to an underlying external stimulus or disease. This condition is often observed in hormonal health when patients exhibit sustained high levels of androgens, which stimulate erythropoietin production, or in cases of chronic hypoxia. Clinical management requires identifying and addressing the causative factor, not merely the elevated hematocrit.