Cause of Low Platelets

Introduction

• According to the Mayo Clinic, your bloodstream typically contains between 150,000 and 450,000 platelets per microliter of blood. Platelets are an important player of your circulatory system, as they produce clots that help stop bleeding. Since the average lifespan of a blood platelet is only 10 days, the body constantly produces new platelets in your bone marrow. Glitches in this process can result in a low platelet count, also known as thrombocytopenia.
  
  

Pregnancy

• Pregnancy is a common cause of low platelets. This is called gestational thrombocytopenia (GT). Though the etiology behind GT is unknown, according to professor of medicine James N. George, M.D., 5 percent of women will experience the problem, usually towards the end of the pregnancy.
  
  

Auto-Immune Disorders

• Auto-immune disorders are another common cause of low platelets in the blood. Auto-immune disorders such as idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis cause low blood platelet counts when the body's immune system mistakes platelets as foreign invaders and destroys them.
  
  

Blood Poisoning

• Blood poisoning can also cause blood platelets to drop. Poisoning from infection causing bacteria (bacteremia) can quickly kill of platelets and may also cause difficulties producing new platelets to replace those that have been destroyed.
  
  

Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome

• Hemolytic uremic syndrome, although rare, can cause a dramatic and dangerous drop in blood platelets. This syndrome is often caused by the Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria, which can kill off platelets, impair the abilities of the kidneys to function and also destroy red blood cells.
  
  

Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

• Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is another rare disorder that may cause a low blood platelet count. TTP is a disorder that causes large amounts of blood clots to form throughout the body uncontrollably. Since blood clots require platelets to form and all the clots form at once, the disorder uses up most of the platelets available in the bloodstream all at once. This disorder is extremely life threatening, as a single blood clot can become loose and lodge in the brain or heart, causing a stroke or heart attack.