Having normal platelet levels in the body is important for overall health. The reason is that if the platelets are high, you have the chance to have a stroke, heart attack, or blood clots in the arteries and veins.
High platelets, aka thrombocytosisoccurs because the number of platelets in the body exceeds the normal threshold. In normal conditions, humans have 100,000-400.00 platelets. However, your platelet count can be over 400,000 for many reasons.Platelets are blood cells that have the function of clotting blood. Usually this process occurs when the body is injured, so that the platelets clot the blood so that bleeding does not occur. However, an excessive platelet count has the risk of causing more blockage of blood vessels in the body.
What are the causes of high platelets?
Be careful, infection can cause high platelets.
Platelets are one of the products produced by bone marrow (the spongy tissue inside bones). When the production of platelets in the bone marrow is excessive, you will experience thrombocytosis or high platelets.Usually, the spinal cord is triggered to produce too many platelets if you have certain conditions, such as:
1. Acute bleeding
Basically, platelets are responsible for helping blood cells to clot or clot so that the bleeding you experience will quickly stop. So, naturallyBone marrow produce more platelets than usual when you are experiencing acute bleeding or have rapidly lost large amounts of blood.
2. Hemolytic anemia
This type of anemia occurs because the body destroys red blood cells faster than the spinal cord can produce them. This condition is usually caused by blood disorders or autoimmune diseases.
3. Inflammation
Inflammation that can cause you to develop high platelets includes rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis, or disease intestinal inflammation. Platelets will usually return to normal if this inflammation is treated until it heals.
4. Infection
Infection is one of the causes of high platelets in children and adults. The increase in platelet count due to infection can be very extreme, up to 1 million cells per microliter.However, most people do not experience any symptoms (asymptomatic) when experiencing them. The increase in platelet count can gradually return to normal, although it may take a relatively long time to several weeks.
5. Iron deficiency
High platelets often occur in people with anemia.
Thrombocytosis is also often found in people with anemia due to iron deficiency, although the exact cause of this condition is unknown. Fortunately, the platelet levels can return to normal if this anemia patient consumesiron supplements.
6. Abnormalities or loss of the spleen
Platelets are also stored in the spleen. When the spleen is damaged (functional asplenia) or damaged it is then removed throughsplenectomy surgery, then there are no more organs that accommodate some of the platelets in the body.High platelets are one of the side effects that are often experienced by patients after undergoing surgical removal of the spleen. Most patients experience only mild to moderate effects. However, 5% of patients experience serious complications that lead to blood clots due to the increase in platelet levels.
7. Cancer
Thrombocytosis can also be a secondary effect when cancer cells develop in the body or it is called paraneoplastic thrombocytosis. This condition is more common in solid tumors, such as lung cancer, hepatocellular (liver) carcinoma,ovarian cancer, and colorectal cancer, as well as in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).
8. Genetic disorders
In rare cases, high platelets can also be caused by a genetic abnormality in the platelet formation itself. This condition is called primary thrombocythemia, essential thrombocythemia or primary thrombocytosis.Primary thrombocythemia usually occurs at the age of over 50 years or some women with a younger age. This high platelet condition is usually not due to heredity, but rather a gene mutation (somatic) that makes the bone marrow produce large and excessive platelets.Sometimes, it’s not found genetic mutationin patients with primary thrombocythemia. But in some cases, this condition can also be passed on to children or is called familial essential thrombocythemia with a 50% chance of each child becoming offspring.
How do you find out the cause of high platelets?
A complete blood test is important to find out what triggers high platelets.
The doctor makes an initial diagnosis of thrombocytosis through a physical test in the form of an examination of the spleen. If the spleen is enlarged or swollen, especially accompanied by other symptoms such as bruising and nosebleeds, you may be experiencing high platelets.To be sure, the doctor will ask you to undergo complete blood testto count the platelet count. If the score is high, you will be asked to repeat the test a few days later, in order to see the potential cause for the increase in platelets that can endanger your health.Meanwhile, to confirm the presence of primary or secondary thrombocytosis, the doctor can recommend a biopsy or genetic test. Consult with your doctor about the options for examining the right cause of high platelets.
