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Glossary: Platelets
 


Definition
Cells that help the blood to clot.

Also: Platelet

Topics Related To Platelets
A Low Platelet CountThe Condition
"Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP) is the term used when the platelet count is low enough to cause very easy bruising..."

Relationship to Lupus, SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythromatosis)
"Lupus is suggested if thrombocytopenia (a low platelet count of under 100,000 platelets per cubic millimeter) is detected in the absence of drugs that are known to induce it..."

Recommendation Herbal Combinations
"In China, primary ITP is the main subject of reports suggesting that Chinese herbs - but not acupuncture - will raise the platelet levels in patients with persistent ITP, often to an acceptable level although only rarely to the normal range..."

Recommendation Vitamin E
"...Within 7-14 days, platelet counts and capillary fragility returned to normal or near normal..."

Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL)

The Condition
"...called "lymphoblasts" or "leukemic blasts," which fail to function as normal blood cells and 2) the blockade of the production of normal marrow cells, leading to a deficiency of red cells (anemia), platelets (thrombocytopenia), and normal white cells (especially neutrophils, i..."

Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML)

The Condition
"...of cells called "leukemic blasts" which fail to function as normal blood cells and 2) the blockade of the production of normal marrow cells, leading to a deficiency of red cells (anemia), and platelets (thrombocytopenia) and normal white cells (especially neutrophils, i..."

Aspirin

As A Treatment
"...The prevention of cardiovascular disease is thought to be related to thromboxane inhibition in platelets leading to a reduced risk of potentially dangerous blood clots forming in the heart and brain blood vessels..."

CBC (Complete Blood Count) Test

As A Treatment
"...It provides information about the white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC), and platelet populations that are present..."

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)

The Condition
"...Low platelet counts and low red cell counts (anemia) may be present, but are usually only slightly decreased in the early stage of the illness..."

Complete Blood Count

Related Topic
"...Platelet count..."

Eclampsia / Preeclampsia

The Condition
"...that is characterized by hypertension (high blood pressure) and proteinuria (excessive protein in the urine), often including edema (swelling) and occasionally involving thrombocytopenia (low platelets) or liver function abnormalities..."

Ehrlichiosis

The Condition
"...Diagnosis & Tests A CBC shows decreased white blood cells (leukopenia), decreased platelets (thrombocytopenia); a granulocyte stain shows clumps of bacteria inside white blood cells; the platelet count shows decreased platelets (thrombocytopenia); liver enzymes show elevated..."

Essential Fatty Acids

As A Treatment
"...EFAs fulfill many functions ... Are precursors of prostaglandins (PGs), three families of short-lived, hormone-like substances that regulate blood pressure, platelet stickiness and kidney function..."

Ginger Root

As A Treatment
"...Circulation: It helps to support a healthy cardiovascular system by making platelets less sticky, therefore reducing the likelihood of clots..."

Ginkgo Biloba

As A Treatment
"...Ginkgolide-B is a known inhibitor of Platelet Activating Factor (PAF), which is responsible for platelet aggregation, PAF-induced asthma and various inflammatory and pro-oxidative processes..."

GLA (Gamma Linolenic Acid)

As A Treatment
"...DGLA is essential for the production of prostaglandin E1, an important hormone-like chemical that reduces inflammation, boosts immunity, lowers blood pressure, keeps platelets from sticking together, and improves blood vessel tone..."

Green Tea

As A Treatment
"...Green tea benefits the heart by lowering cholesterol levels and reducing the tendency of blood platelets to stick together..."

Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome

The Condition
"...Small, unexplained bruises or small clot-sized hemorrhages visible in the mucosal lining of the mouth may occur because the toxins also destroy the platelets, cells that normally contribute to the clotting system..."

Heparin

As A Treatment
"...HITS is caused by an immunological reaction that makes platelets a target of immunological response, resulting in the degradation of platelets..."

High Total Cholesterol

Recommendation Plant-Based Nutrition
"...The effect of vegetarian diets on plasma lipid and platelet levels..."

Hypercoagulation (Thickened Blood)

The Condition
"...Normally, long strands of fibrin weave a mesh around platelets and blood cells to form a clot that plugs the break in the wall of a vessel..."

Hypersplenism

The Condition
"...Most patients will develop an enlarged spleen, anemia, leukopenia, or abnormally low white blood cell counts, or thrombocytopenia, a deficiency of circulating platelets in the blood..."

Infectious Mononucleosis - Mono

The Condition
"...Other tests your doctor might order include a complete blood count (CBC) to see if your blood platelet count is lower than normal and if lymphocytes are abnormal, and a chemistry panel to see if liver enzymes are abnormal..."

L-Taurine

As A Treatment
"...Taurine is also able to reduce the calcium-triggered response of blood platelets to various activating factors, and to suppress sympathetic nervous system activity while also reducing the responsiveness of vascular smooth muscle cells to vasoconstricting agents..."

Megaloblastic Anemia / Pernicious Anemia

The Condition
"...Decreased numbers and immaturity of white blood cells (leukocytes) and blood platelets (thrombocytes) may also occur..."

Mitral Valve Prolapse

Relationship to Platelet Aggregation (Clotting)
"The prolapsing mitral valve is known to damage platelets and increase their aggregation..."

Neutropenia

The Condition
"...Treatment & Prevention The Food and Drug Administration has now approved blood cell growth factors that increase the production of neutrophils, red blood cells, and platelets for the treatment of neutropenia, anemia, and thrombocytopenia, respectively..."

PAF

Related Topic
"Often PAF antagonist: Platelet activating factor inhibitor..."

Pancytopenia

Related Topic
"...There are fewer red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets..."

Platelet Aggregation

Related Topic
"Platelets are the small, rather uniform fragments of large bone marrow cells that aid the blood in coagulation, hemostasis, inflammation, and thrombus formation..."

Platelet Aggregation (Clotting)

The Condition
"...Bromelain has been shown to decrease aggregation of blood platelets..."

Poor/Slow Wound Healing

The Condition
"...Platelets and thromboplastin make a clot..."

Psoriatic Arthritis

The Condition
"...side-effects, monitored through regular blood and urine tests, include liver damage, and excessive lowering of the white blood cell count (increasing susceptibility to certain infections) and platelet count (affecting blood clotting)..."

Radiation Therapy (Radio Therapy)

As A Treatment
"...Radiation therapy also may cause a decrease in the number of white blood cells or platelets..."

Schizophrenia

The Condition
"...Platelets deficient in MAO (monoamine oxidase)..."

Splenitis

Related Topic
"...Splenomegaly is often associated with viral hepatitis, mononucleosis, typhoid fever and abnormally high levels of red blood cells or platelets..."

Stroke

The Condition
"...Sometimes platelets (cells in the blood stream responsible for clotting) become 'sticky' and promote clotting..."

Our Question about COX-2 inhibitor use
"...COX-1 makes thromboxane A2, which promotes blood vessel constriction and "stickiness" in blood cells called platelets..."

Recommendation Aspirin
"Aspirin reduces platelet 'stickiness' or aggregation as do other natural products that 'thin blood'..."

Thrombasthenia

Related Topic
"Platelet defect with impaired ability to form blood clots..."

Thrombocyte

Related Topic
"Platelet..."

Thrombocytopenia

Related Topic
"Condition of abnormally small number of platelets circulating in the blood, characterized by inability to properly clot blood and easy bruising..."

Vasculitis

The Condition
"...When these complexes persist in the circulation, their interaction with platelets results in the release of vasoactive amines..."

Vitamin E

As A Treatment
"...Vitamin E can decrease platelet adherence to damaged artery walls, much like Vitamin C..."





Last updated: Apr 07, 2008


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