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Updated: May 21, 2026
06:01
A Thrombotic Stroke Model Based On Transient Cerebral Hypoxia-ischemia
Published on: August 18, 2015
Cerebral infarction due to smoker's polycythemia
Kiran Teresa Thakur1, M Brandon Westover
1Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Neurology, Boston, Massachusetts, United States.
BMJ Case Reports
|June 8, 2012
Summary
Smoker's polycythemia, a rare condition linked to heavy smoking, can cause ischemic stroke. Reducing high blood viscosity (haematocrit) in affected individuals can resolve neurological deficits.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Hematology
- Toxicology
Background:
- Cerebral infarction presents with neurological deficits.
- Polycythemia is an elevation in red blood cell count.
- Heavy smoking is a risk factor for various vascular diseases.
Observation:
- A 65-year-old male smoker with a >100 pack-year history presented with fluctuating focal neurological deficits.
- Neuroimaging revealed multiple small cerebral infarctions.
- Laboratory results showed a hematocrit level exceeding 60%.
Findings:
- The patient was diagnosed with cerebral infarction secondary to smoker's polycythemia.
- This represents the third reported case in medical literature.
- Neurological deficits resolved completely after hematocrit reduction.
Implications:
- Highlights smoker's polycythemia as a cause of ischemic stroke.
- Emphasizes the importance of considering polycythemia in heavy smokers with stroke.
- Underscores the efficacy of hematocrit reduction in managing neurological deficits.
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