What You Need To Know About A Coagulation Profile Test

/ Uncategorized / By

By Yhordan Serpentini | April 5, 2023

In today’s article, we will be discussing coagulation profile testing, including when there are problems with your blood clotting factors, signs and symptoms of bleeding disorders, and how to prepare for a test.

coagulation profile

What Is A Coagulation Profile?

A coagulation profile–also known as a coagulation factor test, factor assay, or a coagulation panel–is a simple blood test, usually performed through a venipuncture, designed to measure for any conditions or underlying problems with your clotting factors that may be resulting in too much or too little blood clotting.

Coagulation factors are proteins in your blood that help form blood clots, which are needed in order to prevent any further bleeding from occurring in your body during an injury. This clotting eventually dries up when exposed to the air, which results in scabbing–known medically as crusting or eschar.

Your liver produces the majority of your clotting factors, which are then “turned off” in your body, like a switch, to prevent abnormal blood clots or additional clotting that isn’t needed. When there is an issue with your liver, platelets, or clotting factors, it can lead to a multitude of medical issues, which is why it is important to be diagnosed and treated for any bleeding disorders to prevent developing further risks.

What Is A Coagulation Profile Used For?

As mentioned earlier, a coagulation profile is used to measure the clotting factors within your blood to identify if there are any underlying issues that may be causing the formation of too much or too little clotting. Additionally, they are also used to check if you are missing a clotting factor, or if you have a clotting factor that isn’t working properly.

If a problem is found with any of your clotting factors, it can mean that your blood either clots too easily, regardless of whether or not there is an injury present, or your blood clots too little after an injury, especially if there was an operation or surgery performed. These bleeding disorders can lead to a multitude of medical conditions, including heart attack, clots in the lungs, stroke, and serious blood loss.

When Should You Receive A Coagulation Profile?

There is a large variety of reasons why you may need, or are ordered by a healthcare provider, to receive a coagulation profile. Below is a list of a few reasons why you may be asked to receive a test if you:

  • Have abnormal results from a Prothrombin Time test with an INR (PT/INR), or a Partial Thromboplastin Time test (PTT).
  • Have a relative or family medical history of issues with clotting factors.
  • Have one or more health conditions that may be affecting your clotting factors.

If you have any of the following conditions, you may be at risk of a bleeding disorder:

  • Severe liver disease
  • Cancer
  • Blood transfusion
  • Immunity disorders
  • Seriously lacking in vitamin K

Furthermore, if you have any of the following conditions, you may be at risk of having problems with blood clots:

  • Cancer
  • Sepsis, COVID-19, and other specific infections
  • Little to no movement for long periods of time
  • Cancer
  • Autoimmune disease(s)
  • Serious lack of vitamin B6, B12, and folate

Symptoms of Bleeding Disorders or Issues With Clotting Factors

If you haven’t yet received a clotting factor test, then it could be a little difficult to tell if you have a bleeding disorder, even if you are showing signs or symptoms of it. That being said, if you are experiencing several of the following symptoms, then it is crucial that you talk to your primary doctor and schedule a coagulation profile test ASAP!

According to the American Society of Hematology and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), below is a list of symptoms of a bleeding disorder:

  • Easy bruising occurred from no injury
  • Bleeding gums
  • Heavy bleeding from small cuts or dental work
  • Heavy menstrual bleeding (lasts longer than 7 days, flooding or gushing of blood, passing clots bigger than a grape, soaking tampon or pad every hour past heaviest days–or more often than usual during heaviest days)
  • Bleeding into joints
  • Excessive bleeding following surgery
  • Unprovoked or unexplained nosebleeds (last longer than 10 minutes)
  • Diagnosed with “low in iron” (iron deficiency), or received/recieving treatment for anemia

The type of bleeding disorder that you may have can be different as well since there are several types of disorders. If you experienced multiple of the mentioned symptoms, you may be tested for Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC), Liver disease-associated bleeding, Vitamin K deficiency bleeding, Von Willebrand disease, or Hemophilia.

Additionally, if you are experiencing swelling, redness, warmth, and pain in your arms or legs; trouble breathing from a clot that’s traveled to your lung; or nausea after an injury, you may be at risk of too much blood clotting caused by a clotting factor issue.

How To Prepare For A Coagulation Profile

Preparing for a coagulation profile test is really simple. A healthcare professional will take a quick sample of your blood, usually through a venipuncture, so the most you will feel is a slight sting and discomfort for as long as the needle is inside your vein. You may experience some side effects like dizziness, nausea, or bruising, but there are little to no risks that raise concern, and the side effects should go away after an hour, or by the end of the day. You may also be asked to fast 6-12 hours prior to testing for more accurate results.

Need a fast and reliable coagulation profile test? Visit our Lab Tests page to book your coagulation profile appointment and get your sample collected for testing; track your reports online and get notified when your reports are done, typically within one day.

Disclaimer: This blog is not intended to be medical advice

References:

Rapid Bio Blogs:

Scroll to Top