Without platelets, we would die pretty easily. The microscopic plate-shaped structures in our bloodstream rush to the site of an injury, forming clots that stop blood loss and help stimulate the ...

Platelets are tiny cell fragments in your blood that help form clots and stop bleeding. Nearly 50% of donated platelets go to cancer patients. With a shelf life of only five days, hospitals rely on a ...

Platelet-rich plasma is a form of regenerative medicine. It uses injections of your own blood platelets to help with healing. This treatment hasn’t been approved by the Food and Drug Administration ...

Weather-related donor center closures and canceled blood drives have sharply reduced collections at LifeShare Blood Center, ...

One of the side effects of aspirin is reduced platelet function. Aspirin can potentially make issues with blood clotting worse. Thrombocytopenia is the medical term for low platelet count. Platelets ...

Recent winter weather across the region has significantly impacted bloodand platelet collections, putting a strain on ...

Thrombocytopenia and hemophilia are two conditions that can affect the body’s ability to form blood clots. Although they have similar symptoms, they have different causes and treatments. When a person ...

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I am 33 years old and recently had an annual physical and routine blood work. I'm active with two children and feel fantastic, but my platelet count came back as 651. My health care ...

Some medications can cause a low platelet count, which can lead to excessive bleeding. Heparin is the most frequent cause, but common drugs like acetaminophen and some antibiotics can also cause ...

Winter weather has caused a dramatic drop in blood and platelet donations, straining LifeShare and other blood centers, and creating a need for more donations to meet hospital demand.

But need doesn’t run on a seasonal calendar. One of the most critical, and overlooked, is the need for blood and blood ...