What it means
Areas of bleeding under the skin, 3 mm to 1 cm across. Smaller pinpoint spots are petechiae, and larger bruises are ecchymoses. Unlike a rash from widened vessels, purpura does not blanch (turn pale) when pressed, because the blood is outside the vessels. It can come from a low plateletPLAYT-litA tiny cell fragment in the blood that sticks together at a wound to help form a clot.Full entry count, clotting problems, fragile vessels in older adults or steroid use, or inflamed blood vessels.
For the nurse
Press a clear glass or your finger on the spot: if it does not fade, report it, especially with fever or illness in a child. Check the platelet count and watch for other bleeding.
At a glance
| Spanish | púrpura |
|---|---|
| Also written | purpuric |
Related terms
platelet
A tiny cell fragment in the blood that sticks together at a wound to help form a clot.
thrombocytopenia
A blood platelet count below normal, under 150,000/mm3.
bleeding
Blood escaping from a blood vessel, either out of the body or inside it.