Polycythemia Vera With Atrial Fibrillation: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Polycythemia vera (PV) is a myeloid stem cell disorder characterized by excess red cell mass. The two major complications of PV are thrombosis and bleeding. Atrial fibrillation is a potentially devastating condition that can complicate the course of PV. We describe a case of a 65-year-old woman with PV who presented with new-onset atrial fibrillation. The atrial fibrillation was aborted successfully, and the patient was started on oral anticoagulation with rivaroxaban. PV with atrial fibrillation poses a challenge in management due to the risk of thrombosis and bleeding. Despite the lack of standard recommendations or guidelines, this case highlights that oral anticoagulation therapy can be safe and convenient for such patients.