PLT, an abbreviation for platelet, refers to cell platelets that play an important role in blood clotting. These colorless structures, also called platelets, have a smaller structure than white and red blood cells. The number of these substances can be determined by blood analysis.
Platelets – What are PLT Normal Values?
The ideal range of normal values for platelets is 150.000 – 400.000 per microliter. Although the platelet count differs from person to person, it also has a variable structure at different times.
What is PLT Low?
If there is less than 150.000 platelet count, there is low PLT. This condition is also called thrombocytopenia disease. It would be very correct to answer the questions about whether low platelet count is a serious health problem as follows:
- If the PLT value falls below 50.000, this poses a life-threatening risk. The reason for this is that if there is a low platelet count, it becomes very difficult for the blood to clot. In such a case, blood loss occurs because the blood cannot clot in the slightest cut or injury.
Why Does Low PLT Occur?
When platelets, which play an important role in blood coagulation, are destroyed untimely, low PLT occurs due to various reasons such as increased blood volume and slowdown in production.
Among the reasons that have an active role in low platelet count;
- Vitamin B12 lack of
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Radiotherapy
- leukemia disease
- spleen enlargement
- Insufficient production of platelets by the bone marrow
- Destruction of platelets in the liver or spleen
- Destruction of platelets during blood circulation
- Pregnancy
- Infections caused by viruses such as hepatitis C and HIV
- Some autoimmune diseases in which the immune system is aggressive towards platelets
- Side effects of some drugs
The Most Important Symptoms of Low PLT
If the platelet value is much lower than normal low platelet symptoms arises.
- Nose bleeding
- bleeding gums
- Bleeding that occurs as a result of cuts does not stop
- Fatigue
- Bruising, which occurs very quickly and occurs in excessive amounts, even with light blows to the skin
- Subcutaneous hemorrhages in the leg near the foot
- Appearance of red or purple spots
How Is PLT Low Treated?
Since blood clotting will be extremely difficult in people with low platelet count, bleeding must be prevented. For this, it is necessary to avoid daily activities that may cause bleeding. When going to the toilet, care should be taken not to strain, nose should not be blown, and walking barefoot should be avoided as much as possible.
It is extremely important to take some precautions in low platelet count. First, the underlying cause of the low PLT value should be eliminated. The use of dental floss should be avoided. Women who are in their menstrual period should use pads instead of tampons. It is very important to have someone around who can be asked for help at any time. If help is needed, there should be no access problems.
In urgent cases, blood plasma transfusion can be performed. There is no drug that has an effect only to increase the platelet count, but special drugs that reduce platelet destruction can be used. If there is no response to the treatments performed to normalize the PLT value, the spleen may be removed. Thus, since the platelets will be destroyed less, their number can be increased.
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What Does PLT Height Mean?
A platelet value range above 400.000 indicates high PLT. This condition is also called thrombocytosis disease. A high platelet value means that the body produces platelets much higher than it should be.
What Are the Symptoms of PLT Height?
In cases where there is a high level of platelets in the blood, the symptoms of PLT elevation are not usually observable. Rarely, some symptoms of altitude may occur:
- Gout
- numbness in hands and feet
- temporary blurred vision
- Chest pain
- Dizziness and headache
What Causes PLT Height?
In case of recent spleen surgery, cancer diseases, anemia due to iron deficiency, side effects caused by a previous operation, and bone marrow problems, both red blood and platelet counts increase. As a result of hemolytic anemia, which is a type of anemia in which red blood cells are destroyed in a shorter time than normal, and the side effects of some drugs used, increases in the platelet value in the blood may occur.
Platelet Height Treatment
It is an important issue to reduce the height of platelets, which provide blood clotting, to normal levels. For this, PLT elevation should be treated. Most platelet patients, including pregnant women, are treated by doctors using aspirin. Appropriate medications can be prescribed by the doctor for the treatment of platelet elevation in accordance with the patient's condition. In addition, the Plateletpheresis method is applied to some patients. In this method, the vascular access is opened and the blood taken from the opened vascular access is separated from the platelets with the help of a machine.
Kaynaklar:
- https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/what-are-platelets-and-why-are-they-important
- https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/platelet-tests/
