Purpura (patient information)
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| Purpura (patient information) | |
| ICD-10 | D69 |
|---|---|
| ICD-9 | 287 |
| DiseasesDB | 25619 |
| MedlinePlus | 003232 |
| MeSH | D011693 |
Editor-in-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S.,M.D. [1] Phone:617-632-7753; Associate Editor-In-Chief: Lakshmi Gopalakrishnan, M.B.B.S.
Overview
Purpura is purple-colored spots and patches that occur on the skin, organs, and in mucus membranes, including the lining of the mouth.
What causes Purpura?
- Nonthrombocytopenic purpuras may be due to:
- Congenital cytomegalovirus
- Congenital rubella syndrome
- Drugs that affect platelet function
- Fragile blood vessels (senile purpura)
- Pressure changes that occur during vaginal childbirth
- Inflammation of the blood vessels (vasculitis), such as Henoch-Schonlein purpura
- Thrombocytopenic purpura may be due to:
- Drugs that prevent platelets from forming
- Hemangioma
- Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)
- Immune neonatal thrombocytopenia (can occur in infants whose mothers have ITP)
- Meningococcemia
How to know you have a Purpura?
- Your doctor will examine your skin and ask you questions about your medical history and symptoms, including:
- Is this the first time you have had such spots?
- When did they develop?
- What color are they?
- Do they look like bruises?
- What medications do you take?
- What other medical problems have you had?
- Does anyone in your family have similar spots?
- What other symptoms do you have?
- A skin biopsy may be done.
When to seek urgent medical care
Call your doctor for an appointment if you have signs of purpura.
Diseases with similar symptoms
- Purpura occurs when small blood vessels under the skin leak.
- When purpura spots are very small, they are called petechiae. Large purpura are called ecchymoses.
- Platelets help the blood clot. A person with purpura may have normal platelet counts (nonthrombocytopenic purpuras) or decreased platelet counts (thrombocytopenic purpuras).
Where to find medical care for Purpura
Directions to Hospitals Treating Purpura