What is a High Platelet Count?

Have you ever wondered how your wounds know when to stop bleeding? Platelets are incredibly vital cells that are produced by the bone marrow. They play a crucial role in the body by releasing hormones that clot blood in order to stop it from bleeding profusely. This can be from either an internal or external wound. The average platelet count for most people is around 150,000 to 450,000 (per microliter of blood). Although a high platelet count might sound like a good prognosis, it is in actuality an indication of severe problematic health. An excess of platelets leads to unwarranted blood clotting and is incredibly precarious if it goes untreated.

Possible causes for a high platelet count:

* Cancer
* Infections
* Anemia
* Polycythemia vera
* Thrombocytosis
* Inflammatory bowel disease
* Rheumatoid arthritis
* Other inflammatory diseases

Medical Term: Thrombocytosis

Thrombocytosis is the medical term for an abnormally high platelet count – in other words, the bone marrow is producing more platelets than required. There are two different types of thrombocytosis.

Essential thrombocytosis means that there is a genetic problem (or hormone imbalance) that is resulting in irregularly formed platelets. Those with essential thrombocytosis do not usually experience any symptoms. However, this platelet abnormality could lead to severe blood clots which results in deep vein thrombosis, a stroke, or possibly a heart attack.

Conversely, reactive thrombocytosis indicates that there is a reaction to something – for example cancer, an inflammation, or an injury. Those that have reactive thrombocytosis show signs such as nosebleeds, unexpected bruising, and bloody stools. This could also lead to dangerous clotting, although the primary cause of the reaction would be the best indicator of health issues.

How to Detect a High Platelet Count

Most individuals do not or cannot know that they have a high platelet count without the results from complete blood test. This is due to the fact that early warning signs are hard to interpret and can be unclear. Once the blood test results show a high platelet count, doctors will decide on other evaluations and methods of detecting the main problem. This allows them find the best treatment for each individual case. In certain situations, doctors may require more than one blood test to ensure conclusive results. In addition, they will most likely ask a series of question about medical history, family history, past surgeries, past diseases, etc. to see if there is any correlation to the high platelet count. Depending on whether the diagnosis indicates essential thrombocytosis or reactive thrombocytosis, doctors will recommend the best treatment plan to counter the problem.

Potential treatments for reactive thrombocytosis include:

* Antibiotics
* Anti-inflammatory medicines
* Specialized drugs
* Intensive treatment

Potential treatments for essential thrombocytosis include:

* Low-dose aspirin (daily)
* Low-dose aspirin (daily)

General treatments include:

* Regular exercise
* Improved diet
* No smoking
* Regular checkups
* Occasional blood draws

The best way to discover whether you have a high platelet count is to schedule a blood draw at your doctor’s office or a nearby hospital. It is important to determine the reason for the high count early on, in order to find the best treatment plan for your specific case.