What does it mean to have extra platelets?

What does it mean to have extra platelets?

Thrombocythemia is a disease in which your bone marrow makes too many platelets. Platelets are blood cell fragments that help with blood clotting. Having too many platelets makes it hard for your blood to clot normally. This can cause too much clotting, or not enough clotting.

What happens when the number of platelets increases?

However, an abnormally high platelet count means that clotting could happen spontaneously. Blood clots may occur anywhere in the body, but are most common in the hands, feet and brain. Other symptoms of high platelet count include headaches, dizziness, weakness and fainting.

What causes abnormally high platelet count?

With primary thrombocythemia, a high platelet count may happen alone or with other blood cell disorders. This condition is not common. Thrombocythemia is most often caused by your genes. Mutations, or changes, in the genes that control how your bone marrow forms platelets may cause thrombocythemia.

How do you treat high platelets?

Your doctor might prescribe platelet-lowering drugs primarily in the form of hydroxyurea (Droxia, Hydrea) or interferon alfa (Intron A). Platelets can be removed from your blood by a procedure that’s similar to dialysis.

Is high platelet count serious?

Too many platelets can lead to certain conditions, including stroke, heart attack or a clot in the blood vessels. There are two types of thrombocytosis: primary and secondary. Primary thrombocytosis is a disease in which abnormal cells in the bone marrow cause an increase in platelets.

Can anxiety cause high platelets?

Stressful life events and anxiety usually cause an increase in platelet volume and activity through various mechanisms. Mean platelet volume (MPV), which is indicative of platelet size, is accepted as an indication of platelet activity.

Can depression cause high platelets?

Plasma levels of platelet β-thromboglobulin and platelet factor four (PF4) are significantly elevated in patients with depression when compared with those of healthy control subjects[19,20]. Increased platelet aggregation to both collagen and thrombin has been found in patients with major depression[21].

Can exercise cause high platelets?

Platelet count showed significant increase after morning exercise ((236+/- 32)x10(9) l(-1) versus (202+/- 34)x10(9) l(-1) baseline, p < 0.05).

Should I worry if my platelets are high?

Often, people who have elevated platelets don’t have any complications. However, some who have high platelet counts experience blood clots. If you have elevated platelets and are worried about the risk of developing blood clots, talk to your healthcare provider.