Platelets are small cells that respond to injury by clumping together and forming a protective layer to stop bleeding. Low platelet counts can cause difficulty in controlling bleeding, while high counts can lead to increased clotting. Platelet transfusions may be given in some cases. Platelet disorders can be treated with various methods. Medications can also affect platelets, and some may be used to reduce clotting in at-risk patients.
Platelet activation is a series of cascading responses that allow blood platelets to react to injury. Platelets could be considered one of the body’s emergency response teams; when a cut or burn occurs, the body sends out a distress signal, and platelets are among the many specialized cells that crowd the site. In people with low platelet counts, it can be difficult to control bleeding because not enough platelets can be activated. Conversely, an elevated platelet count can lead to increased clotting, which can become a problem when platelet activation occurs.
Platelets are actually pieces of cells, derived from megakaryocytes produced in the bone marrow. In their unactivated state, platelets are roughly disc-shaped and float through the blood, circulating throughout the body so they can respond quickly to injury. The life of platelets in the blood is approximately 10-10 days and the body is constantly producing more, when someone is healthy, to replenish lost platelets.
When the skin is broken, platelets are exposed to collagen, which causes them to become active. Platelet activation triggers the release of chemicals that cause more platelets to be activated. The activated platelets change shape, putting out fingers which cause them to take on a star shape. Platelets are also triggered to clump and bind together, sealing the site of an injury to stop bleeding.
Beneath the skin’s surface, platelets clot during platelet activation, so that blood cannot leak from a damaged vessel. On top of the skin, a crust forms, forming a protective layer. In both cases, platelets stop the bleeding and protect the body as it heals and rebuilds the injured area.
People are sometimes given platelet transfusions when their blood platelets are low so that they have enough platelets for platelet activation. In surgery, patients may receive both blood and platelets to compensate for blood loss and support the body during surgery so the patient remains as strong as possible. Platelet levels can be measured with routine blood tests, which are usually ordered before surgery.
Individuals with platelet disorders may have low or high platelet levels. A variety of methods can be used to treat these disorders, depending on the patient’s condition. Some medications can also cause problems with platelets, and in some cases may actually be used deliberately for this reason, most commonly in the case of medications that reduce platelet counts to prevent clotting in patients at risk for clots.
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