Treatment
Not all patients will require treatment at presentation. In those who are at increased risk of thrombosis or bleeding (older age, prior history of bleeding or thrombosis, or very high platelet count), reduction of the platelet count to the normal range can be achieved using hydroxyurea (also known as hydroxycarbamide), interferon-α or anagrelide. Low-dose aspirin is widely used to reduce the risk of thrombosis, but there may be an increased risk of bleeding if aspirin is initiated while the platelet count is very high.
The PT1 study compared hydroxyurea in combination with aspirin to anagrelide in combination with aspirin as initial therapy for essential thrombocytosis. Hydroxyurea was superior, with lower risk of arterial thrombosis, lower risk of severe bleeding and lower risk of transformation to myelofibrosis (although the rate of venous thrombosis was higher with hydroxycarbamide than with anagrelide).
In rare cases where patients have life-threatening complications, the platelet count can be reduced rapidly using platelet apheresis (a procedure that removes platelets from the blood directly).
Read more about this topic: Essential Thrombocytosis
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