Coagulation & Clotting
Clotting is a chain reaction of proteins. When you bleed, factors activate like dominos to turn liquid blood into a solid plug. Too long → bleeding risk. Too short → unwanted clots.
For the wider picture: what the organ does, what influences it and everyday habits that support it: read the coagulation & clotting education module.
- Prothrombin Time (PT)
How many seconds it takes your blood to clot through the 'extrinsic' pathway.
- INR (International Normalised Ratio)
A standardised version of PT used worldwide, especially to monitor warfarin.
- Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT)
Tests the 'intrinsic' clotting pathway: used to monitor heparin treatment.
- Fibrinogen
The protein that forms the mesh of every blood clot.
- D-Dimer
A breakdown product released when the body dissolves a clot: used to screen for DVT and pulmonary embolism.
- Thrombin Time (TT)
Measures the final step of clotting: converting fibrinogen to fibrin.