Thrombocytopenia is a medical condition that involves low blood platelet levels. Your platelets, also called thrombocytes, play an important role in your body. They aid in blood clotting by forming plugs, or clots, in damaged blood vessels. By clumping together, platelets stop the flow of blood and prevent excessive blood loss. Low blood platelet levels can be very dangerous, and if you suffer from thrombocytopenia, increasing your platelet count will be necessary.
Instructions
1. Discontinue any medication that may be causing low blood platelet levels under the supervision of your doctor. Certain types of medications can cause low blood platelet levels, and discontinuing these medications should effectively increase your levels. Discuss the side effects of your current medications with your doctor, and follow her alternative course of treatment.
2. For certain types of thrombocytopenia, medication may be effective in raising your blood platelet levels. Corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulin, lithium carbonate, folate, cyclophosphamide, and azathioprine have all been proven to increase blood platelet levels. Discuss these options with your doctor, including any risk factors, before beginning treatment.
3. If you have low blood platelet levels and sustain a serious injury, a platelet transfusion may be necessary to increase your levels. This course of treatment will replace lost blood and platelets, but it will not treat the underlying cause of your low platelet count. Once a transfusion stops the bleeding, your doctor will recommend an additional course of treatment to increase your blood platelet levels.
4. Your doctor may recommend you undergo a surgery known as a splenectomy, or the removal of the spleen, to treat thrombocytopenia. The spleen removes platelets from the blood, and those who suffer from thrombocytopenia may have an increased number of platelets being destroyed by the spleen. The best course of treatment is removing the spleen; however, there are major risks involved with this type of surgery. These include the risk of an overwhelming bacterial infection, or post-splenectomy sepsis, according to surgeryencyclopedia.com.
Be sure you understand the risks and benefits of a splenectomy before committing to this course of treatment.
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