Blood results show: Platelet count: 1,000/μL (reference range is 150,000-400,000 /μL) Monocytes: 16.4% (reference range is 5.0-13.0) ...

The study showed that venous blood — drawn from the arm — reflects coronary platelet activity, offering a safer, simpler test method. Credit: 2025 Hirose et al. CC-BY-ND ...

The patient’s blood work is notable for a sodium level of 127 mEq/L, an aspartate transaminase (AST) of 441 U/L, an alanine transaminase (ALT) of 288 U/L, and a platelet count of 14,000.

Whole blood has a shelf life of 45 days and donors can only give every 56 days. Platelets are often given to patients during organ transplants or during cancer treatments.

If you've ever cut yourself, you've seen platelets in action—these tiny blood cells are like emergency repair workers, rushing to plug the damage and stop bleeding. But sometimes, they overreact.