Diagnosis and Management of Inherited Platelet Disorders

In clinical daily practice the definition of a bleeding tendency is rather subjective. Clinical manifestations usually include hematoma, epistaxis, menorrhagia, and severe bleeding episodes after surgery or injuries. The most common causes are disorders of primary hemostasis that occur sometimes due to platelet function disorders. Inherited thrombocytopathies are much less frequent in comparison to acquired platelet function disorders. However, congenital disorders can lead to severe bleeding tendency and are often not diagnosed. They are induced by different platelet defects based on disorders of platelet adhesion, receptors, secretion, and signal transduction. In some cases, they are associated with thrombocytopenias, giant platelets, and various comorbidities. This article gives an overview of the different defects, their diagnosis, and treatment options.