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 may have abnormally low or high numbers of platelets) are treated with platelet transfusions, removing platelets from the blood (platelet pheresis), or chemotherapy to treat the condition.
Platelet function defects caused by kidney failure are treated with dialysis or a drug called desmopressin (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: 2/28/2011
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

Lopez JA, Lockhart E. Acquired disorders of platelet function. In: Hoffman R, Benz EJ, Jr, Shattil SJ, et al, eds. Hoffman Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier;2008:chap 142.

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.

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