Coagulation Profile

What is Coagulation Profile?

Coagulation profile helps to determine the concentration of coagulation factors in the blood. It helps to assess the blood’s ability to dissolve a clot as well as its clotting time. It is useful for evaluating the risk of excessive bleeding or developing clots (thrombosis).This profile includes two tests, Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time test and Prothrombin Time test.

This profile is recommended for the diagnosis of bleeding or clotting disorders, before a surgery, to patients undergoing the treatment for these diseases.

It is also suggested as a screening test before conceiving to mitigate the risk of birth defects in a baby.

Why is Coagulation Profile done?

Coagulation Profile is done:

• In case of excessive unexplained bleeding
• In case of easy bruising
• In acute conditions such as Disseminated intravascular coagulation
• In chronic conditions such as liver disease
• To monitor the patients taking medicines affecting clotting ability
• Before surgery
• What does Coagulation Profile Measure?
  Coagulation profile measures the activated partial thromboplastin time and prothrombin time.

Prothrombin is a protein which is produced by the liver. Prothrombin time determines the time your blood will take to clot. The Prothrombin time increases in case the patient is on blood-thinning medications or has hemophilia or liver disease. Malabsorption of the prothrombin protein may also affect the results of prothrombin time. This test is also done in patients who are taking medicines that affect the clotting time such as warfarin.

The doctor advises the prothrombin test with another clotting test known as activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT).

The aPTT is also known as PTT (Partial Thromboplastin Time). The aPTT test helps to determine the ability of a person to form blood clots appropriately. The aPTT test measures the number of seconds taken by a clot to form in a sample of blood after the addition of reagents. This test assesses the amount and function of clotting factors.

Hemostasis is the process which is initiated by the body when there is an injury to the body tissues or walls of blood vessels. In this process, the platelets combine at the site of injury and a simultaneous process of coagulation gets activated, leading to further activation of the coagulation factors. As a result of this process, the fibrin threads are formed which form a net and get attached to the site of injury. This helps in stabilizing the site of injury, further leading to the formation of a stable blood clot to seal off the injury to blood vessels. It also helps in the prevention of additional blood loss which allows the damaged areas to heal.

The PTT evaluates the coagulation factors XII, XI, IX, VIII, X, V, II (prothrombin), and I (fibrinogen) as well as prekallikrein (PK) and high molecular weight kininogen (HK).