para>This is an image of a woman sitting in a chair with a tourniquet around her right arm. A care provider is using a syringe to draw blood from her elbow area.View Original
This is an image of a woman sitting in a chair with a tourniquet around her right arm. A care provider is using a syringe to draw blood from her elbow area.
View Original
What will the results be?
- The doctor will look at the results of your test.
- If the results are normal, it is likely that you do not have an illness that affects the platelets.
- If the results are too low, you may have an illness that causes you to have a low platelet count. Your platelets may also be low because of a drug you are taking or because of a long term bleeding problem.
- If the results are too high, you may have a problem that is causing you to have too many blood clots. Too many platelets may also cause bleeding if the platelets do not work well.
- Your doctor may order another test to verify the diagnosis.
- The doctor will talk with you about treatment.
What happens before the procedure?
- There are no special things to do before the test. Wearing a short-sleeve shirt on the day of the test can make things easier.
- Talk to your doctor about:
- All the drugs you are taking, including herbal and over-the-counter or OTC drugs
- Any bleeding problems
What happens during the procedure?
- It will only take a few minutes to have this test. You will be awake the whole time. You will have a small amount of blood taken from you with a needle. You may have a small amount of pain. The needle will be taken out and a bandage will be put on your skin. The blood will be sent to the lab for testing.
- Instead of using a needle, the staff may prick your finger and smear some blood on a slide or collect it in a small tube. In babies, the heel is pricked instead of the finger.
What happens after the procedure?
- You may want to sit quietly for a few minutes before standing up. This will help keep you from feeling dizzy after the test.
- Ask your doctor when you will get the results.
What care is needed at home?
You may do your everyday activities when you get back home. ‚
What follow-up care is needed?
Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits. This test will help your doctor understand if you have a problem with your platelets. Together you can make a plan for more care. ‚
What problems could happen?
- Pain
- Bruising
- Bleeding
- Feeling dizzy
- Infection
Where can I learn more?
American Association for Clinical Chemistry ‚
http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/platelet/tab/glance ‚
KidsHealth ‚
http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/sick/labtest4.html ‚
Last Reviewed Date
2015-01-14 ‚
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Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care provider 's advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2016 Wolters Kluwer Clinical Drug Information, Inc. and its affiliates and/or licensors. All rights reserved. ‚