Prescribing Safety Assessment (PSA) Practice Exam

What is thrombocytopenia?

1. High red blood cell count

2. High platelet count

3. Low platelet count

4. Low white blood cell count

The correct answer is: Low platelet count

Thrombocytopenia refers specifically to a condition characterized by a low platelet count in the blood. Platelets are essential components of the blood that play a critical role in the clotting process, helping to prevent excessive bleeding. When the platelet count is below the normal range, which typically is 150,000 to 450,000 platelets per microliter of blood, patients may experience an increased risk of bleeding, bruising, and other related complications. This condition can result from various factors, including decreased production of platelets in the bone marrow, increased destruction of platelets (due to autoimmune diseases, certain medications, or infections), or sequestration of platelets in the spleen. In contrast, the other options refer to different blood cell counts: high red blood cell count, high or low platelet count, and low white blood cell count are distinctly separate conditions that do not describe thrombocytopenia. Understanding these distinctions is crucial in the clinical assessment and management of hematological disorders.