High Platelets, A Simple Guide To The Condition, Diagnosis, Treatment And Related Conditions

By Kenneth Kee

High Platelets
Today I received a laboratory report of a patient who had 1,093,000 platelets per micro liter which is well above the normal maximal level of 450,000 platelets.
This is the first time that I have received such a high level of platelets in my 41 years of medical practice.
I probably have to do further investigations on him before I can come to a conclusive diagnosis.
However with such a high platelet count I probably should be worried about the coagulability of his blood and may need to give him a low dose of aspirin to prevent blood clot in his blood vessels.
A high platelet count is 450,000 per micro liter or above
A higher-than-normal number of platelets are called thrombocytosis or thrombocythemia.
It means the body is making too many platelets.
Causes may include:
1. A type of anemia in which red blood cells in the blood are destroyed earlier than normal (hemolytic anemia)
2. Anemia due to low iron
3. After certain infections, major surgery or trauma, or allergic reactions
4. Cancer
5. Certain medicines
6. Bone marrow disease called polycythemia vera
7. Bone marrow making too many platelets without a known cause (primary thrombocytosis)
8. Recent spleen removal
Some people with high platelet counts may be at risk of forming blood clots.
Blood clots can lead to serious medical problems
Thrombocytosis or thrombocythemia is defined as a platelet count above the upper limit of the normal range (450 x 109 per micro liter in adults).
The term thrombocythemia (or primary thrombocytosis) is preferred when the cause of a high platelet count is not known.
When another disease or condition causes a high platelet count, the term thrombocytosis (or secondary thrombocytosis) is preferred.
It is important to distinguish between true hematological disease causing primary thrombocytosis and secondary or reactive thrombocytosis caused by a physiological response to a primary problem.
There are a number of hematological diseases causing primary thrombocytosis.
Primary thrombocytosis is a chronic myeloproliferative disorder.
However, there are other hematological diseases which can cause primary thrombocytosis, including
1. Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs),
2. Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)
3. Overlap syndromes.
MPNs such as primary thrombocytosis (essential thrombocythemia), polycythemia vera and myelofibrosis are Philadelphia-negative clonal disorders of the bone marrow.
Types of Thrombocytosis
There are broadly two types of thrombocytosis:
Hematological disease such as primary thrombocytosis
Primary thrombocytosis (also referred to as essential thrombocytosis, essential thrombocythemia and primary thrombocythemia) is due to a failure to regulate the production of platelets (autonomous production) and is a feature of a number of myeloproliferative disorders.
Features are a platelet count greater than 600 x 109 per micro liter, megakaryocyte hyperplasia, splenomegaly and a tendency to both thrombosis and hemorrhage.
Platelet survival is normal but function is not.
Other hematological diseases which cause primary thrombocytosis are myeloproliferative, myelodysplastic or a combination of both.
It includes some leukemia.
With primary thrombocytosis, a high platelet count may occur alone or with other blood cell disorders.
Secondary or reactive thrombocytosis
This can be secondary to a number of conditions.
When another disease or condition produces a high platelet count, the term "thrombocytosis" is preferred.
This condition often is called secondary or reactive thrombocytosis.
It is an exaggerated physiological response to a primary problem, such as an infection.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Introduction
Chapter 1 High Platelets
Chapter 2 Causes
Chapter 3 Symptoms
Chapter 4 Diagnosis
Chapter 5 Treatment
Chapter 6 Prognosis
Chapte

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kenneth Kee
• Release date: Apr 17, 2018
• ISBN: 9781370685448

Kenneth Kee

Medical doctor since 1972.Started Kee Clinic in 1974 at 15 Holland Dr #03-102, relocated to 36 Holland Dr #01-10 in 2009.Did my M.Sc (Health Management ) in 1991 and Ph.D (Healthcare Administration) in 1993.Dr Kenneth Kee is still working as a family doctor at the age of 74However he has reduced his consultation hours to 3 hours in the morning and 2 hours inthe afternoon.He first started writing free blogs on medical disorders seen in the clinic in 2007 on http://kennethkee.blogspot.com.His purpose in writing these simple guides was for the health education of his patients which is also his dissertation for his Ph.D (Healthcare Administration). He then wrote an autobiography account of his journey as a medical student to family doctor on his other blog http://afamilydoctorstale.blogspot.comThis autobiography account “A Family Doctor’s Tale” was combined with his early “A Simple Guide to Medical Disorders” into a new Wordpress Blog “A Family Doctor’s Tale” on http://ken-med.com.From which many free articles from the blog was taken and put together into 1000 eBooks.He apologized for typos and spelling mistakes in his earlier books.He will endeavor to improve the writing in futures.Some people have complained that the simple guides are too simple.For their information they are made simple in order to educate the patients.The later books go into more details of medical disorders.He has published 1000 eBooks on various subjects on health, 1 autobiography of his medical journey, another on the autobiography of a Cancer survivor, 2 children stories and one how to study for his nephew and grand-daughter.The purpose of these simple guides is to educate patient on health disorders and not meant as textbooks.He does not do any night duty since 2000 ever since Dr Tan had his second stroke.His clinic is now relocated to the Buona Vista Community Centre.The 2 units of his original clinic are being demolished to make way for a new Shopping Mall.He is now doing some blogging and internet surfing (bulletin boards since the 1980's) startingwith the Apple computer and going to PC.The entire PC is upgraded by himself from XT to the present Pentium duo core.The present Intel i7 CPU is out of reach at the moment because the CPU is still expensive.He is also into DIY changing his own toilet cistern and other electric appliance.His hunger for knowledge has not abated and he is a lifelong learner.The children have all grown up and there are 2 grandchildren who are even more technically advanced than the grandfather where mobile phones are concerned.This book is taken from some of the many articles in his blog (now with 740 posts) A Family Doctor’s Tale.Dr Kee is the author of:"A Family Doctor's Tale""Life Lessons Learned From The Study And Practice Of Medicine""Case Notes From A Family Doctor"

Book preview

High Platelets,

A

Simple

Guide

To

The Condition,

Diagnosis,

Treatment

And

Related Conditions

By

Dr Kenneth Kee

M.B., B.S. (Singapore)

Ph.D (Healthcare Administration)

Copyright Kenneth Kee 2015 Smashwords Edition

Published by Kenneth Kee at Smashwords.com

Dedication

This book is dedicated

To my wife Dorothy

And my children

Carolyn, Grace

And Kelvin

This book describes the High Platelets, Diagnosis and Treatment and Related Diseases such as Low Platelets which are seen in some of my patients in my Family Clinic.

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader.

If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy.

Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Introduction

I have been writing medical articles for my blog http://kennethkee.blogspot.com (A Simple Guide to Medical Conditions) for the benefit of my patients since 2007.

My purpose in writing these simple guides was for the health education of my patients.

Health Education was also my dissertation for my Ph.D (Healthcare Administration).

I then wrote an autobiolographical account of his journey as a medical student to family doctor on his other blog http://afamilydoctorstale.blogspot.com.

This autobiolographical account A Family Doctor’s Tale was combined with my early A Simple Guide to Medical Conditions into a new Wordpress Blog A Family Doctor’s Tale on http://ken-med.com.

From which many free articles from the blog was taken and put together into 600 amazon kindle books and some into Smashwords.com eBooks.

Some people have complained that the simple guides are too simple.

For their information they are made simple in order to educate the patients.

The later books go into more details of medical conditions.

The first chapter is always from my earlier blogs which unfortunately tends to have typos and spelling mistakes.

Since 2013, I have tried to improve my spelling and writing.

As I tried to bring you the latest information about a condition or illness by reading the latest journals both online and offline, I find that I am learning more and improving on my own medical knowledge in diagnosis and treatment for my patients.

Just by writing all these simple guides I find that I have learned a lot from your reviews (good or bad), criticism and advice.

I am sorry for the repetitions in these simple guides as the second chapters onwards have new information as compared to my first chapter taken from my blog.

I also find repetition definitely help me and maybe some readers to remember the facts in the books more easily.

I apologize if these repetitions are irritating to some readers.

Chapter 1

High Platelets

Today I received a laboratory report of a patient who had 1,093,000 platelets per micro liter which is well above the normal maximal level of 450,000 platelets.

This is the first time that I have received such a high level of platelets in my 41 years of medical practice.

I probably have to do further investigations on him before I can come to a conclusive diagnosis.

However with such a high platelet count I probably should be worried about the coagulability of