Smoking.can cause secondary polycythemia. So can.carbon monoxide poisoning.chronic heart or lung disease.(endocrine) disorders.exposure to high altitudes.kidney cysts.tumors of the brain,liver,or uterus.burns.diarrhea.hemoconcentration.stress

Types of secondary polycythemia. Known as spurious polycythemia, stress polycythemia, or Gaisbock's syndrome, relative polycythemia is characterized by normal numbers of red blood cells but decreased levels of plasma (the fluid part of the blood).

A very important part of diagnosing secondary polycythemia is differentiating it from primary polycythemia. Doctors diagnose polycythemia by measuring oxygen levels in blood drawn from an artery. Imaging studies.chest x rays.electrocardiogram(EKG)

Polycythemia vera-- An excess number of red blood cells in the blood.

Secondary polycythemia is also called secondary erythrocytosis