What is the full form of ITP?
The ITP full form is Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura. This condition is also known as immune thrombocytopenic purpura. It is a bleeding disorder in which the platelet count is extremely low. It often occurs when a person’s immune system begins to act against its own body and destroys platelets crucial for normal blood clotting. Consequently, due to the shortage of platelets in the blood, a person with ITP can bruise or bleed easily. It may affect all age groups and affects females more frequently than males.
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Types of ITP
There are two ITP types:
Chronic ITP
It is durable and can endure for at least six months. It primarily affects adults, and females more so than males.
Acute ITP
It is a transitory or brief ITP that lasts less than six months and primarily affects youngsters. Occasionally, it is caused by a viral infection.
Symptoms of ITP
A few ITP symptoms are listed below.
- Enhanced or more intense bleeding than usual
- bruising spots on the skin due to subcutaneous bleeding
- Blood in the feces or urine
- Gums start leaking
- Abnormally heavy menstrual bleeding
ITP diagnosis and treatment
Low platelet counts are brought on by a variety of medical disorders. The medical professional can analyze the patient’s symptoms and medical history, as well as conduct a physical examination, to establish whether the low platelet count is connected to ITP.
CBC (Complete blood count)
This blood test measures platelets and blood cells. The number of RBCs and WBCs in the blood of an individual with ITP is typically normal; however, the platelet count is low.
Bone marrow examination
It is performed to determine whether the bone marrow contains sufficient platelets. Thus, the test was conducted to remove all other potential causes for the low platelet count.
Medication for the ITP
- Treatments are administered based on the frequency of a patient’s bleeding and the number of their platelets.
- The medication focuses on raising the number of platelets or preventing their loss.
- Acute ITP typically resolves within weeks or even months.
- Sometimes, drugs are the initial line of treatment.
- Other than regular monitoring of platelet counts and medicines, moderate symptoms of ITP typically do not require therapy.
- As the amount of platelets increases, the number of drugs can be decreased.
- In extreme cases of ITP, when drugs are unable to regulate the platelet rate, the spleen may be removed to slow or stop the loss of platelets.
