The Bleeding and Clotting Time Test, also known as BT CT is a test that is performed on a sample of blood to determine how much time it will take to clot or coagulate.
Bleeding Time is the time that is used to measure the rapidness with which a person’s blood can clot and how fast the platelets can work together to form the clots. The function of the platelets is to accumulate at the place of the injury to seal the wound and stop the blood flow as fast as possible. This is essential to understand how the blood can be stopped. For the test, a small puncture is made on the skin of the person.
Usually, a BT CT Test is suggested by a doctor when the patient is experiencing issues with blood clotting and the blood flow cannot be stopped during an injury. Delays in blood clotting and longer bleeding time will result in unnecessary blood loss. Hence the check is important if one also has to undergo any kind of surgery. Also, there are other tests, such as the
cpk test, recommended to understand if the patient has other problems. If the patient suffers from prolonged bleeding, then the patient might have a problem with the platelet function itself. The tests can also be carried out to determine if the patient has epistaxis.
Hence, some other tests might also be recommended by the doctor to determine the coagulation speed and some of them are:
- Complete blood count level
- Factor V assay
- Activated clotting time test
- Fibrinogen level
- Prothombin Time
The normal bleeding time in healthy person is 2 to 7 minutes. The normal clotting time is between 8 to 15 minutes. Hence, any anomaly could point towards haemophilia or von Willibrand’s disease. A time outside it can also be indicative of platelet defect which could be acquired after birth. The ability of a normal person to bleed is indicative that the patient has a stable blood flow. Any sign of excess blood loss via cuts or a lack of blood loss can prove to be quite harmful and should be immediately tested.
Which issues can be determined from the tests?
The findings of the tests might point towards a couple of issues:
- There could be a defect in the blood vessel and the vessels are unable to transport blood properly throughout the body.
- The person could have a genetic platelet disorder by birth and there could be a condition like haemophilia that the patient might be suffering frpm.
- A person could also be suffering from thrombocythemia where the bone marrow could be creating too much platelets for the body.
- Or the person could also be suffering from thrombocytopenia where the bone marrow is creating too little platelets for the body.
Bleeding Time and Clotting Time test is done by cleaning the site of the puncture from where the blood would be drawn. Then a pressure cuff is placed around the arm and inflated. Then two cuts of very small size are made in the lower arm and the cuffs are removed. These are very shallow cuts. The bleeding time and the clot time are checked with the help of a timer and every 30 seconds, the blood from the cuts is blotted with a blotting paper till it stops. The wound is then cleared and then bandaged. Portea has experts who will conduct the tests and deliver the exact bleeding and clotting time results to the patient. They also have home services and well qualified representatives arrive at the premises at the required time to conduct the test in a most professional and hygienic manner.
