What Are The Causes Of Low Blood Palette Count?

Low platelet count is known as thrombocytopenia. Symptoms of thrombocytopenia include excessive bleeding, bruising that is caused easily, and bleeding that is caused easily. Platelets are responsible for making a person's blood clot. This occurs when the platelets stick together and stick against the wall of the vessel or capillary.

Platelet count can be affected by a person's race or environmental conditions. There are different conditions that can cause low platelet counts. Inherited diseases such as Benard Soulier syndrome or May Hegglin anomaly can cause low platelet counts resulting in heavy bleeding in even small skin lesions. Some people have low platelet count because their body does not produce enough platelets naturally. This can be due to some types of cancer (such as bone marrow cancers,) alcoholism, viral infections, inherited disorders, vitamin B12 deficiency, folic acid deficiency, osteoporosis or myelofibrosis.

Some people acquire thrombocytopenia through platelets being killed off faster than they can be replenished. This can be caused by HIV infection, taking quinine for the treatment or prevention of malaria, an autoimmune disease or certain types of cancer. Sometimes the platelets are used at inappropriate times causing a shortage. This can be caused by meningitis infection, constant high blood pressure, certain types of cancer, and some blood disorders.

Some people have abnormally large spleens which can cause thrombocytopenia. Thrombocytopenia is diagnosed through a blood test that is analysed in a laboratory. The platelet count within the blood determines the diagnoses. If a patient is found to have low platelets, the doctor will have other tests in order to determine why the patient has a low platelet count. If the condition can be treated and is treated properly, the platelet count can be improved. Most people have a low platelet count due to a vitamin B12 or folic acid deficiency or because of a viral infection.

HI. I am a 60 year old man who suffers from a blood cancer called Myleodysplastic Syndrome. It is a blood condition that does not allow healthy , mature blood cells make it from the bone marrow into the blood stream. The cells that cause the condition are called Blast Cells. Everyone has Blast Cells normally up to 3 % in the bone marrow. Amounts over 3% can cause Pancytopenia, which is low blood counts of all three blood cells, Platelet, White and Red. Blast Cell counts over 15% are usually a precurser to Acute Myleo Leukemia. AML. Treatments for MDS have the side effect of causing life threatening drops in all cell groups but the highest affected are the platelet counts and the white cells. Transfusions are given for low platelet counts as there is no growth factor available to make platelets. Platelets are best described as pieces of both red and white cells that help clot the blood when you get cut or injured. They also prevent spontaneous bleeding though the arteries and veins and even the organs. Very low White cell counts can leave sufferers with a very high risk of getting infections. The white cells carry the antibodies that our body normally uses to fight disease. There are growth factors (GSF) that are used to increase production of both White and Red cells. Someone with extremely low counts of White cells, (leukopenia, neutropenia)) can be made seriously ill by just the common cold so it is necessary to isolate and be very careful about infection.

The only curative procedure for MDS is a Stem Cell Transplant. The Bone marrow of the patient is destroyed using either Chemotherapy or Radiation Therapy, then new, healthy stem cells from a donor( (preferably a sibling) are injected into the blood stream and growth factors are given to "coax" the stem cells into good blood producing bone marrow cells. Survival tares are relatively high (62-74%) for Stem Cell recipients after 5 years.

I have to say the the problem of Thrombocytopenia is frightening to say the least. I have had 7 platelet transfusions in 3 months but I am fine and the chemp is actually working against the MDS.

I am a candidate for a Stem Cell transplant and am having treatment now to prepare my system for the procedure.