PT

Also known as: Prothrombin Time; Pro Time Formal name: Prothrombin Time Related tests: Activated Clotting Time (ACT), Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (aPTT or PTT), Prothrombin Consumption Time (PCT), Fibrinogen, Coagulation Factors

At a Glance
Why Get Tested?

To check how well blood-thinning medications (anti-coagulants) are working to prevent blood clots
When to Get Tested?

If you are taking an anti-coagulant drug or think you may have a bleeding disorder
Sample Required?

A blood sample taken from a vein in the arm

The Test Sample

What is being tested?

The test measures how long it takes for your blood to begin to form clots. Prothrombin is a plasma protein produced by the liver. Clotting is caused by a series of chemical reactions, including the conversion of prothrombin to thrombin. The test used to measure this clotting factor is called Prothrombin time, Pro time or PT.
How is the sample collected for testing?

Blood is collected by needle from a vein in the arm.

How is it used?

The Prothrombin time (PT) test, standardised as the INR test is most often used to check how well anti-coagulant or "blood-thinning" tablets such as warfarin and phenindione are working. Anti-coagulant tablets help prevent the formation of blood clots (they do not "thin the blood" as is popularly thought). This is particularly important in people with heart conditions such as atrial fibrillation or artificial valves, or people with a history of recurrent blood clots. The drug's effectiveness can be determined by how much it prolongs the PT (measured in seconds), or increases the INR (a standardised ratio of the patient's PT versus a normal sample).

When is it requested?

If you are taking an anti-coagulant drug, your doctor will check your INR regularly to make sure that your prescription is working properly and that the INR is appropriately increased. There is no set frequency for doing the test. Your doctor will order it often enough to make sure that the drug dose is right. Occasionally the PT or INR may be used on a patient who is not taking anti-coagulant drugsto check for a bleeding disorder, liver disease or vitamin K deficiency, or to ensure clotting ability before surgery.
What does the test result mean?

The test result for PT depends on the method used; results will be measured in seconds. Most laboratories report PT results that have been adjusted to the International Normalized Ratio (INR). Patients on anti-coagulant drugs usually have a target INR of 2.0 to 3.0 (i.e. a prothrombin time 2 to 3 times as long as in a normal patient, using standardized conditions). For some patients who have a high risk of clot formation, the INR needs to be higher: about 3.0 to 4.0. Your doctor will use the INR to adjust your drug to get the PT into the range that is right for you. An increased Prothrombin time or INR means that your blood is taking longer to form a clot. If you are not taking anti-coagulant drugs and your PT is prolonged, additional testing may be necessary to determine the cause.
Is there anything else I should know?

Some substances you consumesuch as alcohol and different drugs - can interfere with the PT test and give a misleading result. Antibiotics, aspirin, and cimetidine can increase PT. Barbiturates, oral contraceptives and hormone-replacement therapy (HRT), and vitamin K either in a multivitamin or liquid nutrition supplement - can decrease PT. Make sure that your doctor knows all the drugs you are taking so that the PT results are interpreted correctly.
Wiki: The prothrombin time (PT) and its derived measures of prothrombin ratio (PR) and international normalized ratio (INR) are measures of the extrinsic pathway of coagulation. This test is also called "ProTime INR" and "INR PT". They are used to determine the clotting tendency of blood, in the measure of warfarin dosage, liver damage, and vitamin K status. PT measures factors I, II, V, VII, and X. It is used in conjunction with the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) which measures the intrinsic pathway.