The bleeding time test measures how long it takes for the blood to stop flowing from a small cut in your fingertip after being pricked with a needle. It can help identify some bleeding disorders, such as clotting factor deficiencies and hemophilia, and assess your risk of developing these conditions in the future.
But because the bleeding time test is not always accurate and can sometimes be misleading, it is not used as often as other tests that measure blood clotting factors directly, like prothrombin time (PT).
What is bleeding time?
Bleeding time is one of many lab tests that can help diagnose or rule out bleeding disorders. Unlike prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), and thrombin time (TT), bleeding time does not directly check for clotting factor deficiencies.
Instead, it tests for platelet function, the ability of a person’s platelets to clot after being activated by tissue factors in the blood. During the bleeding time test, a patient is pricked and then monitored for five minutes to see how long it takes for the bleeding to stop. A healthy individual should stop bleeding within four minutes.
How long do you have to fast before the test?
The bleeding time test is a type of blood clotting test. Before this test, you are asked to fast for a minimum of eight hours. This requirement can vary from lab to lab, but generally, you should be able to go without eating or drinking anything except water within six hours before your scheduled appointment.
Water and fluids include tea, coffee, soup, juice with pulp, etc. You may have an apple or banana if you cannot last longer than six hours due to health issues or pregnancy. Bring your medical history report when coming for a visit to Chughtai Lab Lahore in Pakistan.
The Procedure
As you’ll see on your chughtai lab report (provided online and usually within an hour), take 1-1.5mL of the blood sample into a tube. You can also choose to have it done by your local hospital lab or clinic. But be aware that some local labs and clinics charge more for online services.
Your doctor may ask you to have it done if they have concerns about bruising or bleeding due to health issues such as diabetes or leukemia. Occasionally, people will choose to get it done before donating blood.
In rare instances when tests for HIV antibodies and syphilis are positive (conditions for which treatment requires delayed initiation), test results will also be revealed on a report from your Chughtai lab services provider.
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The Symptoms of an Abnormal Result
A bleeding time test determines how long it takes for a patient’s blood to clot and begin to flow normally again. Abnormal results can indicate an increased risk of thrombosis or problems with platelets or blood-clotting factors.
A chughtai test report can reveal all kinds of problems. If you have symptoms like excessive bruising or bleeding, contact your doctor right away, even if you don’t feel pain when it happens. Blood tests are commonly used in Pakistan to detect infection and disease. Many infectious diseases spread through blood, such as hepatitis C and HIV, which require chughtai lab reports for confirmation.
What are the risks associated with a bleeding test?
The biggest risk associated with a bleeding time test is getting poked and dislodging one of your blood clots. This can be extremely dangerous if it lodges in your lungs or heart. However, suppose you have medical conditions that could cause clots to form in your body (like heart disease).
In that case, getting any bleeding test is probably not a good idea unless it’s medically necessary. Always discuss with your doctor first before getting one done!
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What happens after a bleeding test?
When a doctor tells you to schedule a bleeding time test and avoid foods containing vitamin K for one to two days before taking it, there’s more going on than you might realize. The time it takes for a cut on your arm or leg to stop bleeding isn’t just a random lab test; it provides information about how fast your blood clots.
If your results show that you bleed excessively or too slowly, they may indicate that you have an abnormal protein in your blood called antithrombin III. Depending on how severe these findings are, they can help doctors determine if additional testing is necessary. In some cases, though rarer in adults than in children, and can treat antithrombin III deficiency with Vitamin K injections.
