RT Journal
A1 VACCA JB, THOMA GE, Jr.
T1 MYocardial infarction as the initial manifestation of polycythemia vera
JF A.M.A. Archives of Internal Medicine
JO A.M.A. Archives of Internal Medicine
YR 1959
FD June 1
VO 103
IS 6
SP 974
OP 977
DO 10.1001/archinte.1959.00270060126017
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archinte.1959.00270060126017
AB Vascular occlusions occur rather frequently in polycythemia vera. While venous thromboses are said to be commoner, arterial occlusion or insufficiency has been reported to occur in approximately 18% to 30% of several series.1-4 While at least one earlier report concluded that cardiac disease was uncommon in polycythemia vera,5 later articles have shown coronary artery disease to occur clinically in from 6% to 10% of cases 1,4,6 and to be the cause of death in approximately one-fourth of a small series prior to the use of radioactive phosphorus in therapy.3Myocardial infarction occurring early in the course of polycythemia vera is apparently rare; we have been able to discover but one brief reference to the occurrence of this complication, in a previously undiagnosed (and presumably asymptomatic) case.7 The purpose of this communication is to report a 41-year-old patient who was discovered to have asymptomatic polycythemia vera at the time he had