Platelets....?!
Question: I know you at an increased risk for bleeding when your platelets are too low. I am reading my nursing textbook however, and they are stating you are at risk for severe bleeding when your platelets are excessively high (exceeding 1.5 million) as well.
Why is this?
Answers: I know you at an increased risk for bleeding when your platelets are too low. I am reading my nursing textbook however, and they are stating you are at risk for severe bleeding when your platelets are excessively high (exceeding 1.5 million) as well.
Why is this?
Excess platelets do not cause severe bleeding - but some of the underlying causes of excess platelets are disorders that also produce defective platelets. So, excess platelets are a warning sign to medical professionals that they need to consider the possibility that the patient might have a clotting problem.
Elevated platelet counts can occur because the bone marrow produces excess platelets or because the spleen is not removing platelets as rapidly as it should. A few disorders involving bone marrow produce defective platelets, but splenic disorders have little effect on platelet formation or their function (although platelet function deteriorates as platelets age).
There may be many platelets but they may not be functional which would impair their clotting ability leading to bleeding.