University of Tabuk

Faculty of Medicine

Bleeding Time and

Clotting (coagulation) time
Bleeding Time

Definition: it is the time needed to stop bleeding from

a small skin injury without formation of a
blood clot.
Normal Value: 1-5 minutes.
Significance: it is a test for platelet function.
Prolonged in purpura.
Materials

- 70% alcohol
- Sterile lancet
- Filter paper
- Stopwatch
Procedure

Prick the bulb of the finger or the lobule of the ear

using a sterile needle or lancet after cleaning the skin
with 70% alcohol and allowing it to dry.
remove the blood collected at the area of injury every
minute using a filter paper to prevent formation of blood
clot.
Clotting (coagulation) time

Definition: time needed by the blood to from clot.

Normal Value: 5-10 minutes.
Significance: it is a non specific test for intrinsic pathways
of blood clotting.
Prolonged in cases of deficiency of clotting factors e.g.
hemophilia.
Materials

- 70% alcohol
- Sterile lancet
- Glass slide.
- Stopwatch
Procedure

Prick the finger with a sterile needle or lancet after cleaning

the skin with 70% alcohol and allowing it to dry.
Immediately take the big drop of blood on a glass slide.
Every minute tease the blood drop with the tip of the
needle or the lancet to find out the formation of the fibrin
thread.
Note the time between putting the blood clot and
appearance of the fibrin threads using stopwatch.
Prothrombin Time (PT)
Prothrombin time (PT) is a blood test that measures
the time it takes for the liquid portion (plasma) of your
blood to clot.
The laboratory specialist will add chemicals to the
blood sample and see how long it takes for the plasma
to clot.
At time of bleeding, the body launches a series of
activities that help the blood clot. This is called the
coagulation cascade. The PT test looks at special
proteins (called coagulation factors) that are involved
in this event, and measures their ability to help blood
clot.
Prothrombin Time (PT)

It measures:
Factor I (fibrinogen)
Factor II (prothrombin)
Factor V
Factor VII
Factor X
The normal range is 11 to 13.5 seconds. The PT
result will be longer in persons who take blood
thinners.
Prothrombin Time (PT)
Increased PT may be due to:
Bile duct obstruction
Cirrhosis
Disseminated intravascular coagulation
Hepatitis
Liver disease
Malabsorption
Vitamin K deficiency
Coumadin (warfarin) therapy
Factor VII deficiency
Factor X deficiency
Factor II (prothrombin) deficiency
Factor V deficiency
Factor I (fibrinogen) deficiency
Partial Thromboplastin Time (PTT)

Definition:
Partial thromboplastin time (PTT) is a blood test that looks at how long
it takes for blood to clot.
It is very similar to the prothrombin time (PT) test. These two tests
are often ordered together.
At least 12 different proteins are involved in clotting,
the PTT and PT test each measure the function of some of
these proteins.
The PTT test looks at special proteins, called factors, found in two of
the three pathways of the coagulation cascade.
Drugs that can affect the results of a PTT test include
antihistamines, vitamin C (ascorbic acid), aspirin, and
chlorpromazine (Thorazine)
Partial Thromboplastin Time (PTT)

The test may also be used to monitor patients

who are taking heparin.
Normal value: In general, between 25 to 35
seconds.
If the person is taking blood thinners, clotting
takes up to two and a half times longer.
Partial thromboplastin time (PTT) may be done to
check blood clotting time before a surgery or to
see if the dose of anti-clotting medicine (e.g
heparin) is right
Partial Thromboplastin Time (PTT)

An abnormal (too long) PTT result may be due to:

Cirrhosis
Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)
Factor XII deficiency
Hemophilia A
Hemophilia B
Hypofibrinogenemia
Lupus anticoagulants
Malabsorption
Vitamin K deficiency
Von Willebrand's disease