blood disorders
Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP)
Introduction
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a serious disorder that involves the formation of small blood clots throughout the body that block the flow of blood to vital organs such as the brain, heart, and kidneys. Symptoms are related to where in the body blood clots form. Diagnosis is based on the person's symptoms and blood tests. Treatment of TTP is with plasma exchange, corticosteroids,rituximab, and rarelycaplacizumab. (See also Overview of Platelet Disorders and means that purple spots or bruises appear on the skin. Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a rare disorder in which many small blood clots (thrombi) form suddenly throughout the body. It is related to Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome (HUS) (HUS), but it is more likely to occur in adults than HUS, which is more common in children. The blood clots in TTP are not large clots that block large blood vessels, like in Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) . Instead, in TTP, there are many small clots that block small blood vessels throughout the body, particularly those in the brain, heart, and kidneys. The blood vessel blockage damages organs and can break apart red blood cells that pass through partially blocked vessels. The blood clots also use up an abnormally high number of platelets, which leads to a sharp decrease in the number of platelets in the bloodstream (termed Platelets are cells that are made in the bone marrow and circulate in the bloodstream and help How Blood Clots . Platelets are sometimes called thrombocytes. C), after certain types of intestinal infection, during pregnancy, or rarely as an inherited disease. In most people, TTP is an Autoimmune Disorders in which the body's immune system creates antibodies that destroy an enzyme ( 