Hospital Virtual Tour

Acquired platelet function defect - Treatment

Alternative Names

Acquired qualitative platelet disorders; Acquired disorders of platelet function

Treatment:

Treatment is aimed at the cause of the problem.

Bone marrow disorders (which have abnormally high numbers of platelets) are treated with platelet transfusions or by removing platelets from the blood and replacing them with donated platelets (plateletpheresis)
Kidney failure is treated with dialysis or a drug called ddAVP
Platelet problems caused by medication are treated by stopping the medication

Expectations (prognosis):

Treating the cause of the problem usually corrects the defect.

Complications:

Prolonged bleeding
Severe anemia

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider:

If you have bleeding and do not know the cause
If your symptoms get worse or do not improve after you are treated for an acquired platelet function defect

Blood clot formation

Blood clots

Reviewed last on: 3/2/2009
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Yi-Bin Chen, MD, Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

McMillan R. Hemorrhagic disorders: Abnormalities of platelet and vascular function. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier;2007:chap 179.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)