Physical Therapy Assistant Practice Exam

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $2.99 payment

Prepare for the Physical Therapy Assistant Exam with comprehensive flashcards and multiple-choice questions. Each question includes detailed explanations to ensure a thorough understanding. Boost your confidence and readiness for exam day!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.

Which type of blood cells are crucial for clotting and can indicate risk levels for thrombosis and bleeding?

Red blood cells
White blood cells
Platelets
Plasma cells

The correct answer is: Platelets

Platelets are essential for the blood clotting process, making them critical in preventing excessive bleeding when injuries occur. They are small, disc-shaped cell fragments that play a significant role in hemostasis, which is the body's response to vascular injury. When a blood vessel is damaged, platelets adhere to the site of injury and aggregate to form a temporary plug. They also release chemicals that activate the coagulation cascade, leading to the formation of a stable blood clot. Monitoring platelet levels can provide important information about a person's risk of thrombosis (the formation of blood clots within blood vessels) or bleeding disorders. An elevated platelet count may indicate a higher risk for thrombosis, while a lower platelet count can point to an increased risk for bleeding, making them a crucial biomarker in assessing a patient's hematological status. This understanding highlights why platelets are the correct choice for indicating risk levels related to clotting.