Dr Kola Tytler MBBS CertHE MBA MRCGPClinical Lead • iatroX
Lifestyle modifications for patients with essential thrombocythaemia to reduce their risk of complications include:
- Targeted management of cardiovascular risk factors: Advise patients to control hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, diabetes mellitus, and to stop smoking, as these factors increase thrombotic risk.
- Healthy diet: Recommend a cardioprotective diet with total fat intake less than 30% of total energy, saturated fats less than 7%, and replacement of saturated fats with mono- and polyunsaturated fats such as olive or rapeseed oil.
- Physical activity: Encourage regular aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities according to UK Chief Medical Officers' guidelines, tailored to the patient's capacity and comorbidities.
- Patient education and support: Provide information about the condition, risks, and importance of lifestyle changes to empower self-management.
These lifestyle measures complement pharmacological treatments and monitoring to reduce thrombosis and bleeding risks in essential thrombocythaemia.
Key References
- CKS - Erythrocytosis/polycythaemia
- CKS - Polycythaemia/erythrocytosis
- NG238 - Cardiovascular disease: risk assessment and reduction, including lipid modification
- NG158 - Venous thromboembolic diseases: diagnosis, management and thrombophilia testing
- NG196 - Atrial fibrillation: diagnosis and management
- NG133 - Hypertension in pregnancy: diagnosis and management