Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is a Healthy Platelet Count?What Does a High Platelet Count Mean?What Does a Low Platelet Count Mean?Is Your Platelet Count Normal?
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Is a Healthy Platelet Count?
What Does a High Platelet Count Mean?
What Does a Low Platelet Count Mean?
Is Your Platelet Count Normal?
A normalplatelet countis between 150,000 to 450,000 per microliter (mcL) of blood. This range is generally applicable to all adults. However, research has suggested that normal platelet counts might be a little different in men and women. Age might also affect what is considered a normal platelet count because these cells tend to decrease over time.
Having a normal platelet count is important: Your bone marrow produces platelet cells so your body can form clots to prevent bleeding and seal blood vessels if they are damaged.
Having platelet counts that are out of the normal range can be asign of health conditionor a side effect of a medication you’re on.
This article covers normal platelet count ranges, as well as abnormal ones. You will also learn what causes platelets to go out of the normal range, as well as how these conditions can be treated.
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What Do Platelets Do?
A platelet count between 150,000 to 450,000/mcL of blood is considered normal.However, this might vary a bit depending on certain factors.
Research has shown that platelet counts are related to genetics, ethnicity, and age.
For example, studies have found that the range of normal platelet counts between men and women is a little different after age 15:
Platelet counts are also generally stay stable until after age 60, when they start to decrease.
Healthcare providers do not necessarily use different normal platelet ranges based on such factors, but they may be taken into some consideration.
A platelet count over 450,000/mcL is calledthrombocytosis.
A higher-than-normal platelet count can cause blood clots to form and lead to a condition calledacquired von Willebrand disease.
In this disease, the platelets fail to interact properly with the blood vessel wall at sites of injury. The failure to seal the site of injury leads to bleeding.
There are two types of thrombocytosis:
Some possible causes of high platelets include:
Thesymptoms of thrombocytosismay includeabnormal bruisingor bleeding andstroke-like symptoms. However, many people who have a high platelet count do not have symptoms at all.
When to Worry About High Platelet Count
A platelet level of less than 150,000/mcL is considered low. This is calledthrombocytopenia.
When a blood vessel becomes damaged, platelets are activated to stick together and form a clot to seal the blood vessel wall to stop or prevent bleeding.
When your platelet level is below normal, you are risk for more-than-typical blood loss with something as simple as a cut from shaving or injury from a sport. In severe cases, internal and external bleeding can be significant.
Symptoms of thrombocytopenia may include:
What Is a Dangerously Low Platelet Count?A person’s risk of bleeding starts to go up when their platelet count is less than normal. However, it’s when a person’s platelet count is less than 20,000 that they are most at risk for life-threatening bleeding.
What Is a Dangerously Low Platelet Count?
A person’s risk of bleeding starts to go up when their platelet count is less than normal. However, it’s when a person’s platelet count is less than 20,000 that they are most at risk for life-threatening bleeding.
Overview of Platelet Function Disorders
Blood will be drawn and then sent to a lab, where it will go into a machine that counts all the different types of cells in your blood.
Results will reveal not only the number of each you have, but the size of the cells as well.
The size of platelets is referred to as themean platelet volume(MPV). Like your platelet count, this information can be useful in helping identify a health concern.
Can COVID-19 Affect Your Platelet Count?Some patients with COVID-19 have abnormal platelet counts. Some studies have found that people with mild COVID may have a slightly elevated platelet count, and people with severe illness can have very low platelet counts.
Can COVID-19 Affect Your Platelet Count?
Some patients with COVID-19 have abnormal platelet counts. Some studies have found that people with mild COVID may have a slightly elevated platelet count, and people with severe illness can have very low platelet counts.
Summary
If your body is making too many platelets or too few platelets, it can lead to health problems. Having abnormally high platelet counts or low platelet counts can also be a sign of diseases and conditions.
Can You Increase Your Platelet Count Naturally?
What to Know About Immune Thrombocytopenia and COVID-19
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Johns Hopkins Medicine.What are platelets and why are they important?One Blood.What Is a Normal Platelet Count?Balduini CL, Noris P.Platelet count and aging.Haematologica. 2014;99(6):953-955. doi:10.3324/haematol.2014.106260Hermann W, Risch L, Grebhardt C, et al.Reference Intervals for Platelet Counts in the Elderly: Results from the Prospective SENIORLAB Study.J Clin Med. 2020;9(9):2856. Published 2020 Sep 3. doi:10.3390/jcm9092856National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Thrombocythemia and thrombocytosis.Cleveland Clinic.Thrombocytopenia.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Thrombocytopenia.Schlappi C, Kulkarni V, Palabindela P, et al.Outcomes in Mild to Moderate Isolated Thrombocytopenia.Pediatrics. 2018;142(1):e20173804. doi:10.1542/peds.2017-3804MedlinePlus.MPV blood test.Rohlfing AK, Rath D, Geisler T, Gawaz M.Platelets and COVID-19.Hamostaseologie. 2021;41(5):379-385. doi:10.1055/a-1581-4355
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Johns Hopkins Medicine.What are platelets and why are they important?One Blood.What Is a Normal Platelet Count?Balduini CL, Noris P.Platelet count and aging.Haematologica. 2014;99(6):953-955. doi:10.3324/haematol.2014.106260Hermann W, Risch L, Grebhardt C, et al.Reference Intervals for Platelet Counts in the Elderly: Results from the Prospective SENIORLAB Study.J Clin Med. 2020;9(9):2856. Published 2020 Sep 3. doi:10.3390/jcm9092856National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Thrombocythemia and thrombocytosis.Cleveland Clinic.Thrombocytopenia.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Thrombocytopenia.Schlappi C, Kulkarni V, Palabindela P, et al.Outcomes in Mild to Moderate Isolated Thrombocytopenia.Pediatrics. 2018;142(1):e20173804. doi:10.1542/peds.2017-3804MedlinePlus.MPV blood test.Rohlfing AK, Rath D, Geisler T, Gawaz M.Platelets and COVID-19.Hamostaseologie. 2021;41(5):379-385. doi:10.1055/a-1581-4355
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.What are platelets and why are they important?One Blood.What Is a Normal Platelet Count?Balduini CL, Noris P.Platelet count and aging.Haematologica. 2014;99(6):953-955. doi:10.3324/haematol.2014.106260Hermann W, Risch L, Grebhardt C, et al.Reference Intervals for Platelet Counts in the Elderly: Results from the Prospective SENIORLAB Study.J Clin Med. 2020;9(9):2856. Published 2020 Sep 3. doi:10.3390/jcm9092856National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Thrombocythemia and thrombocytosis.Cleveland Clinic.Thrombocytopenia.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Thrombocytopenia.Schlappi C, Kulkarni V, Palabindela P, et al.Outcomes in Mild to Moderate Isolated Thrombocytopenia.Pediatrics. 2018;142(1):e20173804. doi:10.1542/peds.2017-3804MedlinePlus.MPV blood test.Rohlfing AK, Rath D, Geisler T, Gawaz M.Platelets and COVID-19.Hamostaseologie. 2021;41(5):379-385. doi:10.1055/a-1581-4355
Johns Hopkins Medicine.What are platelets and why are they important?
One Blood.What Is a Normal Platelet Count?
Balduini CL, Noris P.Platelet count and aging.Haematologica. 2014;99(6):953-955. doi:10.3324/haematol.2014.106260
Hermann W, Risch L, Grebhardt C, et al.Reference Intervals for Platelet Counts in the Elderly: Results from the Prospective SENIORLAB Study.J Clin Med. 2020;9(9):2856. Published 2020 Sep 3. doi:10.3390/jcm9092856
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Thrombocythemia and thrombocytosis.
Cleveland Clinic.Thrombocytopenia.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Thrombocytopenia.
Schlappi C, Kulkarni V, Palabindela P, et al.Outcomes in Mild to Moderate Isolated Thrombocytopenia.Pediatrics. 2018;142(1):e20173804. doi:10.1542/peds.2017-3804
MedlinePlus.MPV blood test.
Rohlfing AK, Rath D, Geisler T, Gawaz M.Platelets and COVID-19.Hamostaseologie. 2021;41(5):379-385. doi:10.1055/a-1581-4355
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