Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP)
Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is a bleeding disorder. In ITP, the blood doesn’t clot as it should. This is due to a low number of blood cell fragments called platelets or thrombocytes.
SymptomsTestsTreatmentsPreventionImmune Thrombocytopenia
Immune thrombocytopenia (THROM-bo-si-toe-PE-ne-ah), or ITP, is a bleeding disorder. In ITP, the blood doesn’t clot as it should. This is due to a low number of blood cell fragments called platelets (PLATE-lets) or thrombocytes (THROM-bo-sites).
Platelets are made in your bone marrow along with other kinds of blood cells. They stick together (clot) to seal small cuts or breaks on blood vessel walls and stop bleeding.
Overview
Without enough platelets, bleeding can occur inside the body (internal bleeding) or underneath or from the skin (external bleeding).
People who have ITP often have purple bruises called purpura (PURR-purr-ah). These bruises appear on the skin or mucous membranes (for example, in the mouth). Bleeding from small blood vessels under the skin causes purpura.
People who have ITP also may have bleeding that causes tiny red or purple dots on the skin. These pinpoint-sized dots… Read more about Immune Thrombocytopenia