Platelets live approximately how long

A thrombocytopenic patient is at high risk for bleeding if he or she has an injury or a complicating condition that affects blood coagulation, such as hemophilia or liver disease. When the platelet count drops below 20,, the patient may have spontaneous bleeding that may result in death.

Thrombocytopenia occurs due to platelet destruction or impaired platelet production. In thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and disseminated intravascular coagulation, platelets are used up rapidly, and the platelet count falls significantly. Immune-related thrombocytopenic purpura, a condition that may occur early in HIV disease, may result in platelet destruction. Instead, another disease or condition stimulates the bone marrow to make more platelets.

Causes include infection, inflammation, some types of cancer, and reactions to medicines. Symptoms are usually not serious. The platelet count goes back to normal when the other condition gets better. Platelet dysfunction. Many rare diseases are linked to poor platelet function. This means the number of platelets is normal, but the platelets don't work as they should.

Medicines such as aspirin can cause this. It's important to know which medicines affect platelets. Know that while taking these medicines you have an increased risk of bleeding. Platelets are tiny but important cells in your blood that help your body control bleeding. If you have symptoms such as easy bruising, a cut that keeps bleeding, or frequent nosebleeds, let your healthcare provider know. A simple blood test is all you need to find out if your platelet count is normal.

The principal function of platelets is to prevent bleeding. Red blood cells are the most numerous blood cell, about 5,, per microliter.

Their color is caused by hemoglobin, which accounts for nearly all of the red cell volume. Hemoglobin is the critical protein that transports oxygen from our lungs to the tissues.

Red cells are normally shaped as round, biconcave discs. With microscopic examination, they look like a red or orange tire with a thin, almost transparent center. White blood cells are the largest of the blood cells but also the fewest.

There are only 5, to 10, white blood cells per microliter. There are several different types of white cells but all are related to immunity and fighting infection. Platelet Production Platelets are produced in the bone marrow, the same as the red cells and most of the white blood cells. Platelet Structure Platelets are actually not true cells but merely circulating fragments of cells. Platelet Function In addition to being the smallest blood cell, platelets are also the lightest. Disorders of Platelet Function The most common disorder of platelet function is caused by aspirin.

Disorders of Platelets Number: Too Many Platelets Rare conditions result in the bone marrow producing too many platelets, sometimes as many as one million or two million per microliter.

Almost all medications can cause bad allergic reactions in sensitive people, but these reactions are rare. Most commonly, drugs may cause a red rash in sensitive people.

Drugs can also cause serious reactions with blood platelets. In these reactions, drugs stick to the platelet surface, and this combination of the drug bound to the platelet can be recognized by the body as a foreign substance and the body then makes an antibody to the drug-coated platelets, and all platelets can be destroyed. When the drug is stopped, platelet destruction is stopped, and the platelet count returns to normal.

But these drug-dependent antibodies can persist for many years, the same way that protective antibodies persist for many years after immunizations. So if the patient takes the drug again, the platelets are coated, the antibody reacts with the platelets and again the platelet count falls immediately to low levels. Therefore recognition of a drug as the cause for thrombocytopenia is critical to avoid any further exposure to that drug.

This is described in its own section on this website. The platelet count is not very low. Our opinion is that this is merely a normal adjustment of the platelet count during pregnancy, that the platelet counts of pregnant women, particularly near the end of pregnancy and at the time of delivery, all shift down a little bit.

A reason for this is that the plasma volume is increased during pregnancy, and therefore the platelets are simply diluted in the larger volume of plasma. This is the explanation for why the blood hemoglobin concentration is also a little lower during pregnancy. Our opinion is that this is not a health problem and it does not require any additional testing or care.

Thrombotic microangiopathies TMA - These disorders are the result of abnormal blood clotting in the smallest blood vessels arterioles, capillaries throughout all of the body. There are multiple causes of these syndromes. Red blood cells carry oxygen from your lungs to your tissues. They also bring carbon dioxide back to your lungs.

Red blood cells make up almost half of your blood. The lifespan of a red blood cell is around days. White blood cells fight infection and are an important part of your immune system. There are 3 types of white blood cells: granulocytes, monocytes, and lymphocytes. Each type has an important role. Platelets are small parts of cells.

Their main function is to control bleeding. The lifespan of platelets is about 9 to 12 days. Plasma is the pale-yellow liquid part of your blood that holds all of your blood cells.