Prothrombin or TP time is a blood test that evaluates the blood’s clotting ability, that is, the time it takes to stop bleeding, for example.
For example, the prothrombin time test is used whenever frequent bleeding or bruising occurs in an attempt to find the cause of the problem, as well as when there are suspected liver problems, it is also requested to measure TGO, TGP, and GGT, for example See what tests evaluate the liver.
- For people who use oral anticoagulants.
- Such as warfarin or aspirin.
- Your doctor periodically requests INR.
- Which is a more specific measure than TP to evaluate the effect of drugs.
- As TP is generally high under these conditions.
Prothrombin, also known as clotting factor II, is a protein produced by the liver and when activated promotes the conversion of fibrinogen into fibrin, which together with platelets forms a layer that prevents bleeding, so prothrombin is an essential factor in blood clotting. .
The prothrombin time reference value for a healthy person should vary between 10 and 14 seconds, in the case of RRO, the reference value for a healthy person should vary between 0. 8 and 1.
However, if you use oral anticoagulants, the value should be between 2 and 3, depending on the disease that motivated treatment with this type of medication.
The result of the prothrombin time test may be altered by different causes, so whenever there are changes, your doctor may order new tests so you can identify the correct cause and begin. treatment.
Some of the most common causes include
This result indicates that if a cut occurs, bleeding will take longer to stop, with some of the most common causes, including:
In addition, certain medications such as antibiotics, corticosteroids, and diuretics can also alter the test value, so it’s a good idea to tell your doctor about all the medications you’re using.
When the value of prothrombin is lower, it means that clotting occurs very quickly. Therefore, although bleeding is rarer and stops quickly, there is an increased risk of clots that can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
Some of the causes that can cause this change include
In these cases, it may be necessary to start using anticoagulants or heparin injections until the cause of the change is identified. After that, your doctor will recommend the most appropriate treatment.