
The tourniquet slows the blood flow, making it easier to access your vein. Place a strip of cloth or plastic (tourniquet) above the spot on your arm where the needle will go.You may get the test in a healthcare provider’s office, lab or hospital. What should I expect during an MPV blood test?Īn MPV test involves a simple blood draw that often takes less than five minutes. Ask if you should stop taking any medications before your blood test. Get clarity on what food and drink aren’t acceptable past a certain cutoff period. For instance, tests that check your blood sugar or cholesterol levels typically require fasting.įollow your provider’s instructions about fasting before the test. If this is the case, you may need to fast (no food or drink) for a certain amount of time before your blood draw. An MPV blood test often happens alongside other tests performed on the same blood sample. Typically, you won’t need to do anything special to prepare for an MPV blood test. A phlebotomist is a healthcare provider specially trained to draw blood for testing or transfusions.Ī lab technician will run tests on the blood and compile results for your healthcare provider. Who performs an MPV blood test?Ī doctor, nurse or phlebotomist will draw a blood sample that they’ll send to a lab for testing. You may receive an MPV blood test outside of routine blood work if you have unexplained bleeding, bruising or other symptoms that may signal problems with how your blood clots. Together, these platelet tests can help your provider investigate multiple conditions, including: PDW measures how varied the widths of your platelets are. A platelet count measures how many platelets you have in your blood. It also measures other important features of your blood cells, like their size.Ī platelet count, platelet distribution width (PDW) and an MPV blood test are parts of a CBC that provide helpful information about your platelets. A CBC measures how many red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets you have. A CBC is a routine blood test your provider may order as part of an annual physical exam. You may receive an MPV blood test as part of a complete blood count (CBC). Abnormal results may signal a blood disorder or condition that affects your bone marrow. Volume: The amount of space a substance (like a platelet) occupies.Īn MPV test calculates the average platelet size in a blood sample to get a clearer picture of the health of these blood cells.Platelet: The blood cells that help your blood clot.Mean: The mathematical “average” of a group of numbers.They slow and then stop the blood flow, so you don’t lose too much blood. If you’re injured, platelets clump together at the site of the wound. Platelets (thrombocytes) are blood cells made in the spongy tissue inside of your bone called bone marrow.


An MPV blood test measures the average size of your platelets.
