Hello and welcome to the Zero to Finals podcast.

My name is Tom and in this episode I'm going to be talking to you about thrombocytopinia.

And you can find written notes on this topic at zero tofinals.com slash thrombocitopenia

or in the hematology section of the second edition of the zero to finals medicine book.

So let's get straight into it.

Thromisitopinia describes a low platelet count.

The normal platelet count is 150 to 450 times 10 to the power of 9 per litre.

There's a long list of causes of a low platelet count, and these can be split into problems with

production of platelets and problems with destruction of platelets.

Reduced platelet production can occur with certain viral infections,

for example, the Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus and HIV,

B-12 deficiency,

folic acid deficiency, or folate deficiency, liver failure, which causes reduced

thromboatin production by the liver, and thromboatin is what stimulates the production of platelets,

leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, and chemotherapy.

Increased platelet destruction can occur with medications, for example, sodium valproate and methotrexate,

alcohol, immune thrombocytopinic purpura, or ITP, thrombotic thrombocitopinic purpura, or TTP, heparin-induced thrombocitopinia, or H-I-T, and

hemolytic uremic syndrome, or H-U-S.

Let's talk about the presentation.

Mild thrombocytopinia may be asymptomatic and found incidentally on a full blood count.

A platelet count below 50 times 10 to the power of 9 per liter will result in easy bruising and prolonged bleeding

times. It may present with nosebleeds, bleeding gums, heavy periods or menorrhager, easy

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