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Platelets and bleeding
Platelets are tiny, disk-shaped elements that help your blood to clot. Primary hemostasis begins when platelets adhere to the site of endothelial disruption, leading to platelet clumping. This prevents any further bleeding. Regardless of cause, severe thrombocytopenia results in a typical pattern of bleeding: multiple petechiae in the skin, often most evident on the lower legs; scattered small ecchymoses at sites of minor trauma; mucosal bleeding (epistaxis, bleeding in the GI and GU tracts, vaginal bleeding); and excessive bleeding after surgery. Platelets play a critical initiating role in the hemostatic system and deficiency of platelet numbers gives rise to bleeding. People with thrombocytopenia can have excessive bleeding. Heavy GI bleeding and bleeding into the CNS may be life threatening.
Outside resources
Drugs causing thrombocytopenia
Drugs causing neutropenia or agranulocytosis
Polycythemia
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