Platelets and Hemostasis Flashcards
(125 cards)
Thrombocytosis:
Def
Causes
Def: increased platelets
Causes:
- inflammation (IL-6, TNF-alpha, IL-1) => cause inc thrombopoietin production
- Iron deficiency anemia
- Cushing’s disease 4. Steroid therapy
What doesn’t cause a thrombocytopenia (usually)
hemorrhage bleeding
Platelets
Have calcium in them (most clotting rxns need Ca2+)
Use purple top tube with K/EDTA
Purple top tube
Has K/EDTA EDTA => chelates Ca2+ and inhibits clotting
Calcium in clotting
Positively charged
Mediates binding of coagulation factor enzyme complexes via their negatively charged residues to negatively charged phospholipid surfaces of platelets
Ca is a bridge of positivity, allows platelets to act as scaffolds for clotting reactions
Alpha granules in platelets
Adhesion proteins (like Von Willebrands factor)
Common breed for Von Willebrand’s factor deficiency
Dobermans
Cat Platelets
Larger with a higher mean platelet volume (MPV) Especially sensitive to activation during blood sample collection
Snakes
Have thrombocytes Their platelets are very large and are an actual cell type
How to do a platelet estimate
- Count number of platelets in 10-100X oil immersion fields and average. 2. For dogs average count in 10 fields x 15,000/microLiter 3. For cats average count in 10 fields x 20,000/microLiter
Hemostasis
The arrest of bleeding.
Requires integrated response from blood vessels:
- endothelial cells
- collagen
- smooth muscle cells
- fibroblasts…..
and platelets, circulating clotting factors, and fibrinogen becoming fibrin.
Primary Hemostasis
Peripheral vasoconstriction occurs
Blood starts flowing again after momentary stoppage
Platelets start degranulating and releasing Ca2+ to form a platelet plug
(Endothelial defect exposes subendothelial collagen)
End result = platelet plug
Secondary Hemostasis
Stimulation of the coagulation system
Thrombin (Factor 2a) converts fibrinogen (Factor 1) to the active fibrin (Factor 1a)
Fibrin is incorporated into the clot and clot is stabilized
Coagulopathy
Excessive bleeding due to abnormal function/lack of presence of a coagulation factor.
Defect in secondary hemostasis usually leading to more severe bleeding than a platelet or primary hemostasis problem.
Coagulopathies lead to
Hemoabdomens, hemothoraxes, hemarthrosis, hematuria, and of course petechiae and purpura.
If there is a clot in the blood tube….
Don’t trust values from a hematology analyzer.
Automated platelet counts in cats….
Are NOT reliable.
Platelet counts
Lower in King Charles Spaniels and greyhounds.
King Charles Spaniels have a high prevalnce of
inherited asymptomatic thrombocytopenia with macrocytic platelets:
60-80,000 platelets can be normal
MPV
Large platelets are often young platelets
Platelet clumps will falsely decrease a plately count and falsely increase the MPV
Increased MPV
Seen in enhanced thrombopoiesis in response to thrombocytopenia
Thrombocytopenia often leads to
Petechiae, purpura, or ecchymoses.
-usually when less than 50,000/microLiter or less than that
Facial petechiae around the eyes
May be caused by a tight leash or a rabies pole.
Do a blood smear to look for platelets.
In a thrombocytopenic animal…
Do not use the jugular vein for blood, too close to the heart.
Do not poke organs, they may not stop bleeding.