Many factors can cause thrombocytopenia a low platelet count. The condition can be inherited or acquired. Sometimes the cause of thrombocytopenia isn't known. Bone marrow is the sponge-like tissue inside the bones. It contains stem cells that develop into red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. When stem cells are damaged, they don't grow into healthy blood cells. Cancer, such as leukemia lu-KE-me-ah or lymphoma lim-FO-ma , can damage the bone marrow and destroy blood stem cells.
Cancer treatments, such as radiation and chemotherapy, also destroy the stem cells. Aplastic anemia is a rare, serious blood disorder in which the bone marrow stops making enough new blood cells.
This lowers the number of platelets in your blood. Exposure to toxic chemicals—such as pesticides, arsenic, and benzene—can slow the production of platelets. Some medicines, such as diuretics and chloramphenicol, can slow the production of platelets.
Chloramphenicol an antibiotic rarely is used in the United States. Alcohol also slows the production of platelets. A temporary drop in the platelet count is common among heavy drinkers, especially if they're eating foods that are low in iron, vitamin B12, or folate.
Chickenpox, mumps, rubella, Epstein-Barr virus, or parvovirus can decrease your platelet count for a while. People who have AIDS often develop thrombocytopenia.
Some genetic conditions can cause low numbers of platelets in the blood. Examples include Wiskott-Aldrich and May-Hegglin syndromes. A low platelet count can occur even if the bone marrow makes enough platelets. The body may destroy its own platelets due to autoimmune diseases, certain medicines, infections, surgery, pregnancy, and some conditions that cause too much blood clotting.
Autoimmune diseases occur if the body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells in the body. If an autoimmune disease destroys the body's platelets, thrombocytopenia can occur.
One example of this type of autoimmune disease is immune thrombocytopenia ITP. ITP is a bleeding disorder in which the blood doesn't clot as it should.
An autoimmune response is thought to cause most cases of ITP. Normally, your immune system helps your body fight off infections and diseases. But if you have ITP, your immune system attacks and destroys its own platelets.
Why this happens isn't known. ITP also may occur if the immune system attacks your bone marrow, which makes platelets. A reaction to medicine can confuse your body and cause it to destroy its platelets. Quinine is a substance often found in tonic water and nutritional health products.
Heparin is a medicine commonly used to prevent blood clots. But an immune reaction may trigger the medicine to cause blood clots and thrombocytopenia. This condition is called heparin-induced thrombocytopenia HIT. HIT rarely occurs outside of a hospital. In HIT, the body's immune system attacks a substance formed by heparin and a protein on the surface of the platelets. This attack activates the platelets and they start to form blood clots.
Blood clots can form deep in the legs deep vein thrombosis , or they can break loose and travel to the lungs pulmonary embolism. A low platelet count can occur after blood poisoning from a widespread bacterial infection. A virus, such as mononucleosis or cytomegalovirus, also can cause a low platelet count.
Platelets can be destroyed when they pass through man-made heart valves, blood vessel grafts, or machines and tubing used for blood transfusions or bypass surgery.
About 5 percent of pregnant women develop mild thrombocytopenia when they're close to delivery. The exact cause isn't known for sure. Some rare and serious conditions can cause a low platelet count. TTP is a rare blood condition. It causes blood clots to form in the body's small blood vessels, including vessels in the brains, kidneys, and heart. DIC is a rare complication of pregnancy, severe infections, or severe trauma. Tiny blood clots form suddenly throughout the body. Usually, one-third of the body's platelets are held in the spleen.
If the spleen is enlarged, it will hold on to too many platelets. This means that not enough platelets will circulate in the blood.
An enlarged spleen often is due to cancer or severe liver disease, such as cirrhosis sir-RO-sis. Cirrhosis is a disease in which the liver is scarred. This prevents it from working well. An enlarged spleen also might be due to a bone marrow condition, such as myelofibrosis MI-eh-lo-fi-BRO-sis. With this condition, the bone marrow is scarred and isn't able to make blood cells. People who are at highest risk for thrombocytopenia are those affected by one of the conditions or factors discussed in "What Causes Thrombocytopenia?
Whether you can prevent thrombocytopenia depends on its specific cause. Usually the condition can't be prevented. This article discusses normal and abnormal platelet counts, some of the causes of low platelets, and symptoms you may experience. It also describes strategies for managing the condition and how it is usually treated.
A complete blood count CBC test is a standard panel of bloodwork. The platelet count is one of things this test measures. Here is what various platelet counts mean:. Thrombocytopenia can be genetic, which means it is passed down through families. Genetic forms are rare. They are sometimes misdiagnosed as other forms of the disease.
Your body may produce enough platelets on its own, but some conditions and medicines may destroy them or stop them from working correctly dysfunction. When you have an autoimmune condition , your immune system attacks healthy cells. Diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis may cause the immune system to destroy platelets.
Bacteremia , also called blood poisoning, is a bacterial infection that affects the blood. This infection may lead to a reduction in platelets. Anticoagulants are medications that stop your blood from clotting. Thrombocytopenia can also happen when your body doesn't make enough platelets. There are several reasons this might happen. Gestational thrombocytopenia is fairly common in the third trimester of pregnancy.
It happens because of an increase in blood volume. The platelet counts stay the same in this condition, but since the blood volume is higher, the platelets are more diluted. There is usually a low risk of serious bleeding. Chemotherapy and radiation are common therapies for cancer. They are very effective at killing cancer cells. Unfortunately, they can't tell the difference between cancer cells and healthy cells. These therapies target any cells that reproduce quickly.
This includes cells in bone marrow. Cancer treatments may unintentionally kill the cells in bone marrow that produce platelets. When this happens, your body won't be able to produce the platelets it needs.
Blood cancer may also cause low platelets. When bone marrow is invaded by cancer cells, healthy cells can be crowded out by cancer cells. This will affect the production of platelets.
Poor nutrition can cause low platelet counts. To make platelets, your body needs nutrients like vitamin B12 and folate. Certain viral infections such as hepatitis C or HIV can prevent bone marrow from making platelets. Heavy drinking can cause malnutrition , which is when your body doesn't get enough nutrients.
People who drink a lot of alcohol may have bone marrow abnormalities. When this happens, your body has trouble making new platelets. Alcohol itself may have a toxic effect on bone marrow. Many conditions can cause a decrease in the production of platelets. These conditions often prevent bone marrow from making platelets. Certain viruses, poor nutrition, and heavy alcohol use can impact your body's ability to make platelets. Blood cancer and cancer treatment can also have this effect.
Several conditions may result in an enlarged spleen. Platelets are blood cells called thrombocytes and help your blood clot, so you stop bleeding.
Low platelet count is also called thrombocytopenia. The lower your platelet count, the higher your risk for bleeding. Your doctor will tell you what level is considered a low platelet count. If you have a very low platelet count, sometimes your doctor will delay your treatment or reduce your dose. Your doctor will use a blood test called a complete blood count CBC to measure your platelet level. Your platelet count may be low if the body is not making enough platelets, losing platelets, or platelets are being destroyed.
In patients with cancer, low platelet count may be caused by:. A platelet transfusion might be needed in some patients with cancer who have a low platelet count. Factors that can decrease platelet production include:. Some conditions can cause your body to use up or destroy platelets faster than they're produced, leading to a shortage of platelets in your bloodstream. Examples of such conditions include:.
Dangerous internal bleeding can occur when your platelet count falls below 10, platelets per microliter. Though rare, severe thrombocytopenia can cause bleeding into the brain, which can be fatal. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products.
Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Thrombocytopenia is a condition in which you have a low blood platelet count.
Petechiae Open pop-up dialog box Close. Petechiae Petechiae may look like a rash and usually appear in clusters.
0コメント