What Causes platelet count to decrease

Low blood platelet count is medically term as thrombocytopenia. Thrombocytes or platelets are colorless blood cells that play an important role in blood clotting. They stop blood loss by clumping together and by forming plugs in blood vessel holes.

Thrombocytopenia is the most common cause of abnormal bleeding. It can result either from decreased production of platelets by the bone marrow or from increased destruction of platelets.

A platelet deficiency secondary to an underlying disease can usually be diagnosed from examining the patient or the patient’s bone marrow. When platelet destruction is the cause of thrombocytopenia, the marrow shows increased megakaryocytes [the stem cells from which the platelets come] and normal platelet production. Bleeding and petechiae usually does not occur with platelet counts above 50,000/mm3, although excessive bleeding can follow surgery.

Causes of Thrombocytopenia include:

*Reduced production of platelets, such as in problem involving the bone marrow (leukemia), some type of anemia, viral infections, chemotherapy drugs, and heavy alcohol consumption.

*Increased breakdown of platelets, examples include pregnancy, systemic lupus erythematus, blood poisoning, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, and hemolytic uremic syndrome.

*Enlarged spleen may harbor too many platelets, causing a decrease in the number of platelets in circulation.

Additional information:
Thrombocytopenia, is a medical term that describes a lower than normal platelet count, can occur for several reasons. Healthy women can have this just as an incidental finding with no consequences which is about 75 percent are of this type. Women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy may suffer from this, about 20 percent and some have an immune disorder about four percent.

In the immune disorders or problems, the mother develops antibodies which attack her platelets. You could see this type in someone who has systemic lupus, as well as lymphomas, leukemias and even HIV.

source: mdinfo