Why are platelets needed and how many should be normal
Miscellaneous / / May 19, 2021
The level of these blood cells will tell you how well you are protected from blood loss and thrombosis.
What are platelets
PlateletsThrombocytopenia (low platelet count) Are blood cells that can form clots (blood clots) to stop possible bleeding.
Marlene Williams
MD, Director of the Coronary Care Unit at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center (USA)
For example, if you cut yourself, platelets recognize a signal from a damaged blood vessel and rush to it to literally close the wound with themselves.What are Platelets and Why are They Important?.
Platelets are one of the three main types of blood cells. From red blood cells and leukocytes they differ in that they are able to change their shape.
How platelets work
These blood cells can exist in two formsWhat are Platelets and Why are They Important? - inactive and active.
In an inactive form, platelets are like flat plates, tiny plates. In English, these cells are called platelets (from the word plate - plate, plate). This condition persists as long as they travel freely in the bloodstream.
But as soon as cells receive a signal from a nearby damaged blood vessel, they change. In medical terms, they take an active form. Tentacles grow in "little plates", and outwardly platelets look like small octopuses.
The tentacles help to securely attach to the damaged area of ββthe vessel. And at the same time stick to each other. This is how it is formed thrombus.
The blood clot will persist until the damage on the vascular wall heals, that is, until the vessel stops signaling an injury.
Why you need to know the level of platelets in the blood
To understand whether the body is able to effectively cope with bleeding - both external and internal. The latter can occur, for example, with stomach ulcers or endometriosis.
If there are not enough platelets in the body, this can lead to a large loss of blood.
And when there are a lot of plateletsWhat are Platelets and Why are They Important?, there is a risk that they will begin to stick together just like that, without a distress signal from a blood vessel. Such blood clots are deadly. Moving freely through the bloodstream, they can block vital vessels and lead to myocardial infarction, stroke, pulmonary embolism.
What is the rate of platelets in the blood
NormalWhat are Platelets and Why are They Important? the number of platelets is 150β450 thousand pieces per microliter of blood.
If the platelet count is above this level, doctors talk about a condition called thrombocytosisThrombocytosis: Diagnostic Evaluation, Thrombotic Risk Stratification, and Risk-Based Management Strategies. If lower - about thrombocytopeniaThrombocytopenia (low platelet count).
When and how to determine the level of platelets in the blood
This indicator is included in general blood test (UAC). It is done by taking blood from a vein in the arm with a needle.
Referral for a complete blood count to a general practitioner usuallyPlatelet count issues if you come for a routine examination or with complaints of poor health. In some cases, the doctor will want to check the level of platelets, as they say, specifically: if you have symptoms that do not affect your well-being, but indicate a blood clotting disorder. These symptoms include, for example:
- bruises that appear on the skin just like that, for no apparent reason;
- Unexpectedly prolonged bleeding from tiny cuts and wounds
- frequent nosebleeds or gums;
- too heavy menstruation.
Also, regular tests for the level of platelets in the blood are needed for certain diseases or methods of therapy that can affect blood clotting. Such diseases include, for example, COVID-19COVID β 19 concerns aggregate around platelets.
What to do if your platelet count is above or below normal
Platelets, like other blood cells, are produced in the bone marrow and live in the bloodstream for 8-10 daysWhat Are Platelets? and are consumed in the formation of blood clots. Deviations of their level from normal are possible for three main reasons.Platelet count.
- The bone marrow is malfunctioning and produces too many or few platelets.
- There is some kind of defect in platelets that causes them to break down too quickly.
- There are certain conditions - illness, surgery, chosen treatment methods - that cause the body to use up or produce excess platelets.
Only your supervising doctor should determine what exactly the blood test results mean and what they may indicate. He will definitely look into your medical history, ask in detail about your well-being and symptoms. Perhaps he will offer to retake the analysis or send for additional examinations. And only then will he establish a diagnosis and decide whether you need treatment and what it should be.
Read alsoπ§
- Why do we need hemoglobin and what is its norm
- What is the rate of ESR in the blood
- Why is the level of leukocytes in the blood low and what to do about it
- Why leukocytes are elevated and what to do about it
- What is thrombosis and how to prevent it