Platelet Disorders: Types, Symptoms, Causes, and More - Verywell Health
Platelets are one of three types of red blood cells in your body, all of which are produced by stem cells in your bone marrow. Platelets are responsible for forming blood clots to stop bleeding and help repair damaged blood vessels. They also help fight infection by activating immune cells. Platelet disorders happen when there are too many or too few platelets in circulation or the platelets in circulation aren't functioning properly. There are numerous types of platelet disorders, which may either be acquired or inherited. This article details the symptoms and causes of the most common platelet disorders. It also includes information about how platelet disorders are diagnosed and what treatments to expect if you have been diagnosed with one. Charday Penn / Getty Images Common Types of Platelet Disorders The average healthy person has between 150,000 and 450,000 platelets per microliter of blood. Unlike red blood cells or hemoglobin, normal...