The coagulation is the defense mechanism against any form of bleeding and thus to loss of blood. It is a very complex process that involved a number of ‘factors’: these are in the source plasma (intrinsic pathway) and partly arising from injured tissues (extrinsic pathway).
That’s what the values in the media and what they mean any changes that you find in the results of the examination:
- Quick time / prothrombin time (PT) indicates the proper functioning of one of the mechanisms of coagulation (extrinsic pathway). It is sensitive to vitamin K dependent factors and to oral anticoagulants (warfarin).
- Man / woman: 12-15 seconds
- Man / woman: prothrombin activity: 70-100%
- Higher values: lack of some coagulation factors, liver disease, vitamin K deficiency, treatment with anticoagulants
- Partial thromboplastin time (PTT): evaluates the process of blood clotting factors in relation to the ‘intrinsic’ and is sensitive to factors antiemofilici and therapy with heparin.
- Man / woman: 25-40 seconds
- Higher values: lack of some factors related to clotting.
