Test Description: test that measures how long it takes for your blood to clot, essentially assessing the function of several clotting factors in your blood, and is often used to monitor individuals taking blood thinners like heparin or to diagnose potential bleeding disorders if the clotting time is abnormally long; "PTTK" is another way to refer to the APTT test, though not as widely used.
Key points about APTT:
What it measures:
The time it takes for a blood sample to form a clot after adding a substance that activates the intrinsic pathway of the coagulation cascade (the process of blood clotting).
Why it's done:
To check for potential issues with blood clotting, such as bleeding disorders (like hemophilia) or to monitor the effectiveness of blood thinning medications.
Procedure:
A simple blood draw is required.
Abnormal results:
Prolonged APTT: Indicates a potential bleeding disorder due to deficiency in certain clotting factors.
Shortened APTT: May suggest a hypercoagulable state (increased risk of blood clots).