Purpura (patient information)

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Purpura

Overview

What are the causes?

Diagnosis

Diseases with similar symptoms

When to seek urgent medical care?

Treatment options

Where to find medical care for Purpura?

Purpura On the Web

Ongoing Trials at Clinical Trials.gov

Images of Purpura

Videos on Purpura

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CDC on Purpura

Purpura in the news

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Directions to Hospitals Treating Purpura

Risk calculators and risk factors for Purpura

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief:  Lakshmi Gopalakrishnan, M.B.B.S.; Ogheneochuko Ajari, MB.BS, MS [2]

## Overview

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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?

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* 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

## Diagnosis

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* 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.

## Diseases with similar symptoms

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* 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).

## When to seek urgent medical care?

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Call your doctor for an appointment if you have signs of purpura.

## Treatment options

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### Acute Pharmacotherapies

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* Infections:

* Rocky mountain spotted fever \- doxycycline
* Meningococcemia \- ceftriaxone

### Chronic Pharmacotherapies

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* Autoimmune diseases:

* Methotrexate
* Cyclosporine
* Azathioprine
* Mycopheolate mofetil

## Where to find medical care for Purpura?

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Directions to Hospitals Treating Purpura

## Sources

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http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003232.htm

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