Thrombocytopenic purpura

Thrombocytopenic purpura is divided into primary and secondary types. According to age of onset, clinical manifestations, platelet count, disease duration, and prognosis, this disease is divided into acute and chronic types. Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), also known as primary or immune thrombocytopenic purpura, is characterized by a significant decrease in peripheral blood platelets and impaired maturation and development of bone marrow megakaryocytes. Clinically, it is mainly manifested by bleeding of the skin, mucous membranes, or internal organs. In severe cases, there may be bleeding in other sites such as epistaxis, gingival oozing of blood, excessive menstrual bleeding in women, or severe hematemesis, hemoptysis, hematochezia, hematuria, and other symptoms. Intracranial hemorrhage is the fatal cause of this disease. Acute thrombocytopenic purpura is caused by exogenous heat-toxin invasion, and the treatment principle is to clear heat and cool blood. Chronic thrombocytopenic purpura is caused by deficiency of qi and yin in the body, insecurity of the defensive exterior, and invasion of exogenous pathogens. Because healthy qi is deficient and cannot overcome pathogens, heat-toxin accumulates internally; heat forces blood to move recklessly, blood spills outside the vessels, and extravasated blood becomes blood stasis. Blood stasis obstructs and prevents blood from following the vessels, aggravating bleeding and forming a vicious cycle. The treatment principle is to cool blood, resolve toxins, and activate blood circulation, while also supplementing qi and nourishing yin.