Idiopathic thrombocytopenia Purpura, or ITP, is a fairly common blood disorder where the number of blood platelets in the body is lower than normal. In people with ITP, certain immune system antibodies malfunction and begin to attack blood platelets as if they were foreign invaders. Since blood platelets help stop bleeding by triggering the clotting process when a wound appears on the skin, a lower number of platelets greatly increases the risk of continued bleeding. But as we'll see in this program for many patients, medical science has made impressive strides in helping them maintain a proper balance of platelets, reducing the risks that can come with severe bleeding.
