What is a platelet blood test?

What is a platelet blood test?

The platelet count is a test that determines the number of platelets in your sample of blood. When there is an injury to a blood vessel or tissue and bleeding begins, platelets help stop bleeding in three ways. They: Adhere to the injury site. Clump together (aggregate) with other platelets.

What is a normal platelet count?

A normal platelet count ranges from 150,000 to 450,000 platelets per microliter of blood. Having more than 450,000 platelets is a condition called thrombocytosis; having less than 150,000 is known as thrombocytopenia. You get your platelet number from a routine blood test called a complete blood count (CBC).

What does low platelets mean in a blood test?

If you have a low platelet count, it means you have too few platelets circulating in your blood. Your blood may not clot appropriately and you may be at an increased risk for easy bruising and/or excessive bleeding. However, a single low platelet count may or may not have medical significance.

Is low platelet count serious?

A low platelet count is a blood disorder that has a long list of possible causes. It is also known as thrombocytopenia. Reduced platelet content in the blood is not always a serious problem. However, the condition affects the ability of the blood to clot, and wounds can bleed severely with this condition.

What does platelet count indicate?

A platelet count test measures the number of platelets in your blood. A lower than normal platelet count is called thrombocytopenia. This condition can cause you to bleed too much after a cut or other injury that causes bleeding. A higher than normal platelet count is called thrombocytosis.

What cancers cause high platelets?

What cancers cause a high platelet count?

• Lymphoma.
• Breast cancer.
• Lung cancer.
• Ovarian cancer.
• Gastrointestinal cancer.

Do low platelets make you feel tired?

Thrombocytopenia (low platelet count) definition and facts. Symptoms and signs of thrombocytopenia may include fatigue, bleeding, and others.

What is the most common cause of low platelet count?

One of the most common causes of low platelets is a condition called immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). You may hear it called by its old name, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

What are the symptoms of low platelets?

Thrombocytopenia signs and symptoms may include:

• Easy or excessive bruising (purpura)
• Superficial bleeding into the skin that appears as a rash of pinpoint-sized reddish-purple spots (petechiae), usually on the lower legs.
• Prolonged bleeding from cuts.
• Bleeding from your gums or nose.
• Blood in urine or stools.

Can you have high platelets for no reason?

A high platelet count can happen when something causes the bone marrow to make too many platelets. When the reason is unknown, it is called primary, or essential, thrombocytosis. When excess platelets are due to an infection or other condition, it is called secondary thrombocytosis.

What foods to avoid if you have low platelets?

Certain foods and drinks can reduce platelet counts including:

• alcohol.
• aspartame, an artificial sweetener.
• cranberry juice.
• quinine, a substance in tonic water and bitter lemon.

What do doctors look for in a platelet count test?

Blood test. A complete blood count determines the number of blood cells, including platelets, in a sample of your blood. Physical exam, including a complete medical history. Your doctor will look for signs of bleeding under your skin and feel your abdomen to see if your spleen is enlarged.

What does a low platelet count mean on a blood test?

The measurement is the number of platelets a person has, on average, per microliter. The ideal platelet range is 150,000 to 400,000 per mcL in most healthy people. Low platelet count is known as thrombocytopenia.

What are the symptoms of high platelets in the blood?

Generalized symptoms that may occur with high platelets include: 1 Bleeding 2 Headache 3 Numbness of hands or feet 4 Weakness

What does a CBC blood test tell you?

A CBC reveals important information about the number of different blood cells in the body. Platelets, also called thrombocytes, are fragments of larger cells made in the bone marrow called megakaryocytes. What is the platelet count test? A CBC test may include the platelet count test.