THROMBOTIC THROMBOCYTOPENIC PURPURA EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT

Course overview

THROMBOTIC THROMBOCYTOPENIC PURPURA (TTP) IS A RARE AND LIFE-THREATENING CONDITION. THE MAJORITY OF CASES ARE RELATED TO A SEVERE DEFICIENCY OF ENZYME IN THE BLOOD. TTP IS CONSIDERED A HEMATOLOGIC EMERGENCY BECAUSE, EVEN WITH TREATMENT, THE MORTALITY IS ESTIMATED AT 10 TO 20 PERCENT. THE DIAGNOSIS IS CHALLENGING GIVEN THE SIGNIFICANT OVERLAP OF THE CLINICAL PRESENTATION OF TTP AND OTHER CONDITIONS. LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP IS NECESSARY TO EVALUATE FOR SEQUELAE, IDENTIFY OTHER AUTOIMMUNE DISORDERS, AND IDENTIFY RECURRENCE, AS THIS CONDITION USUALLY RECURS. THIS ACTIVITY EXAMINES THE DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF THROMBOTIC THROMBOCYTOPENIC PURPURA AND HOW TO PROPERLY EVALUATE A PATIENT PRESENTING WITH IT. THIS ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.