ACQUIRED PLATELE...

Images and Slideshows

Blood clot formation

Blood clots

SYMPTOM CHECKER

Don't think Acquired platelet function disorder
explains your symptoms?
Find other possible causes of:

Black stools
Nosebleed
Anemia

Definition

Acquired platelet function defects are diseases or conditions that cause the blood elements needed for blood clotting (platelets) to not work properly. The term "acquired" means these diseases or conditions are not inherited, but instead develop independently in a person.

Alternative Names

Acquired qualitative platelet disorders; Acquired disorders of platelet function

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

With platelet disorders, there may be too many or too few platelets, or platelets that do not function well. Any platelet disorder affects blood clotting.

These disorders can be caused by diseases that are present at birth (congenital), or they may develop because of another disease or condition. In many cases, the platelet count may be normal or even high, but there will be evidence of a bleeding disorder.

Disorders that can cause problems in platelet function include:

• Chronic myelogenous leukemia
• Myelofibrosis
• Polycythemia vera
• Primary thrombocythemia

Other causes include:

• Kidney (renal) failure
• Multiple myeloma
• Medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen and other anti-inflammatory drugs, penicillins, phenothiazines, and prednisone (after long-term use)

Symptoms

• Abnormal color of urine (blood in the urine)
• Abnormal menstrual periods
  • Heavy menstrual periods
  • Prolonged menstrual bleeding (more than 5 days per menstrual period)
• Abnormal vaginal bleeding
• Bleeding under the skin or in the muscles (soft tissues)
• Gastrointestinal bleeding
  • Bloody, dark black, or tarry bowel movements
  • Vomiting blood or vomiting material that resembles coffee grounds
• Nosebleeds
• Prolonged bleeding, easy bruising
• Skin rash
  • Bruises
  • Pinpoint red spots (petechiae)

Signs and tests

• Bleeding time
• Platelet aggregation test
• Platelet count
• PT and PTT

Treatment

Treatment is aimed at the cause of the problem.

• Bone marrow disorders (which have abnormally high numbers of platelets) are treated with platelet transfusions or by removing platelets from the blood and replacing them with donated platelets (plateletpheresis)
• Kidney failure is treated with dialysis or a drug called ddAVP
• Platelet problems caused by medication are treated by stopping the medication

Reviewer Info: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Yi-Bin Chen, MD, Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc., 03/02/2009