A 32-year-old member asked:
What are platelets?
2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in
Dr. Videh Mahajananswered
Internal Medicine 15 years experience
Platelets: Blood celss help with clotting.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Martin Rubensteinanswered
Hematology and Oncology 46 years experience
Control bleeding: Platelets monitor blood vessels and if there is injury, stick to the site of injury (adhesion) and then release chemicals that attract other platelets (release reaction). Other platelets respond by being drawn to the area of injury and attaching to the growing platelet plug (aggregation). Activated platelets also provide a surface that supports blood clotting (coagulation).
4.9k viewsAnswered >2 years agoMerged
Similar questions
A 54-year-old female asked about a 81-year-old female:
Why would there be an increase in platelets?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
Dr. Sumit Gauranswered
27 years experience
Reactive or primary: There are two main reasons why platelets may go up. 1st is secondary to inflammation ( eg after surgery or infections ) or iron deficiency. Second is due to diseases if bone marrow. Also people who have had there spleen removed tend to have a high platelet count.
5.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 42-year-old member asked:
How low is to low for platelets?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
Dr. James Ballanswered
Pediatric Hematology and Oncology 20 years experience
Complicated.: This is a great question. The major worry of platelets being too lowis unexplained bleeding into the head, which can be very serious. This risk is present at different levels for different patients. It depends on quite a bit of variables: age, recent injury, other illnesses, current bleeding, chance of platelet recovery, etc. Clearly if there is troublesome bleeding, they are too low.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Australia
A 66-year-old male asked:
Platelet too high?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
Dr. Andrew Turrisianswered
Radiation Oncology 48 years experience
Essential: Thrombocytosis is a seemingly benign over-production of platelets but has a tendency to lead to clots and strokes, and may be a true myeloproliferative (leukemia like) disorder. You need to see a hematologist/oncologist to seal the diagnosis and discuss the need for treatment and options.
5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:
Why don't platelets have a nucleus?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
Dr. James Blachlyanswered
Specializes in Medical Oncology
No need to divide: The nucleus is present in cells that divide or continue to transcribe new genes into RNA and ultimately translate them to protein. Platelets are shed from larger cells called megakaryocytes, and have all the proteins and chemicals they need for their entire life, so no need for a nucleus.
2.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Last updated Jun 2, 2014
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