What are platelets?
Platelets are small, two to four micrometers in size, disc-shaped cell bodies that float freely in the blood. They do not have a cell nucleus.
Platelets normally live for five to nine days and are subsequently discarded in the spleen, liver and lungs. Platelet normal values of newborns and adolescents differ from those of adults.
When do you determine platelets?
The platelet count is determined in the following cases:
- when a patient bleeds more than normal
- as part of a routine blood test (small blood count)
- before and after operations
- in patients with thrombosis
- @ in cases of known blood coagulation disorders or suspected platelet dysfunction (thrombocytopathies)
Platelet counts
The number of platelets depends on age. The following standard values apply (per microliter of blood in adults, per nanoliter of blood in children and adolescents):
|
Age |
Platelet standard value |
|
Adults |
150.000 – 400.000 /µl |
|
until 9 months of age |
100 – 250 /nl |
|
1. to 6. year of life |
150 – 350 /nl |
|
7. to 17. year of life |
200 – 400 /nl |
Occasionally, the number of platelets in the blood is reduced. This can have various causes. Either the body produces too few platelets or they perish in increased numbers. This is called thrombocytopenia or thrombocytopenia – learn more about it here!
When are there too many platelets in the blood?
What to do if the platelet count is altered?
If the number of platelets in the blood is altered, the reason must be found. In the vast majority of cases, it is a phenomenon accompanying an infection. Once the infection has subsided, the platelet count quickly returns to normal.