PLATELET COUNT
A platelet count is used to detect the number of platelets in the blood. The test is included in a complete blood count (CBC), a panel of tests often performed as part of a general health examination.Platelets are tiny fragments of cells that are essential for normal blood clotting. A platelet count may be used to screen for or diagnose various diseases and conditions that can cause problems with clot formation. It may be used as part of the workup of a bleeding disorder, bone marrow disease, or excessive clotting disorder, to name just a few.The test may be used as a monitoring tool for people with underlying conditions or undergoing treatment with drugs known to affect platelets. It may also be used to monitor those being treated for a platelet disorder to determine if therapy is effective.A platelet count may be performed in conjunction with one or more platelet function tests, which assess the function of platelets, and other tests that evaluate coagulation such as PT and PTT. If results are not within the normal interval, a number of other tests may be performed to help give clues as to the cause. Sometimes a blood smear may be done in follow up to examine the platelets under a microscope. This would help to determine, for example, whether platelets might truly be low in number or have clumped together during testing.
