A thorough medical history and investigation of symptoms will help a doctor determine whether a patient has secondary polycythemia. If she suspects the condition, she will order a blood test to measure red blood cell count and hematocrit levels, which indicates how much space the red blood cells take up in the blood. If someone has an excessive number of cells, the doctor may refer him to a hematologist, a doctor who specializes in diseases of the blood. A hematologist can help determine the underlying cause of the secondary polycythemia.

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