Patients taking blood-thinning medications are presented with test results as the international normalized ratio (INR). As long as it is performed under sterile conditions, there is no risk involved. Apart from the sting of needle insertion and a small throbbing at the withdrawal site, the INR testing procedure is not uncomfortable.
Chemicals are then added to the blood sample, and the clotting time of the plasma is precisely measured.
#PT INR NORMAL RANGE ON COUMADIN PROFESSIONAL#
The INR Testing Procedureīefore undergoing the INR test, patients should always inform their doctors of any prescribed or over-the-counter medications, vitamins, supplements or herbal remedies they are taking, because these products may interfere with the accuracy of test results.ĭuring the INR test, the healthcare professional takes a sample of the patient's blood, which is collected in a sterile vial. When the INR test is administered to evaluate patients taking blood-thinning medications, prothrombin time is presented as a ratio, a formula that adjusts for differences in the chemicals used by different laboratories so that test results can be comparable. Measuring the time it takes for this to occur provides essential information about the efficiency and speed of the entire clotting process. An important step in the process is the one in which prothrombin changes to another protein called thrombin. There are a number of steps to the clotting process all involve a number of chemicals known as clotting factors. INR testing is performed to evaluate the patient's blood-clotting process to make sure it is in the normal range, and that the medication in question is preventing serious blood clots without causing dangerous bleeding.Īlso known as a prothrombin time (PT) test, named after a protein produced by the liver that assists in the blood-clotting process, this test measures how long the clotting process takes and how efficiently it occurs. The results of this test are given as a ratio. It is commonly used to measure the clotting time of patients taking blood-thinning medications, such as warfarin (Coumadin) or heparin. A lower INR means your blood clots more quickly than desired.INR (international normalized ratio) testing measures the speed at which blood clots. When the INR is higher than the recommended range, it means that your blood clots more slowly than desired. In certain situations, such as having a mechanical heart valve, you might need a slightly higher INR. These disorders include atrial fibrillation or a blood clot in the leg or lung. An INR range of 2.0 to 3.0 is generally an effective therapeutic range for people taking warfarin for certain disorders. In healthy people an INR of 1.1 or below is considered normal. This ratio - which allows for easier comparisons of test results from different laboratories - is used if you take blood-thinning medications. A number lower than that range means blood clots more quickly than normal. A number higher than that range means it takes blood longer than usual to clot. The average time range for blood to clot is about 10 to 13 seconds. Prothrombin time test results can be presented in two ways. Home testing kits are available for people who have to take blood thinners for long periods and who have been trained in taking blood samples and testing them. You may receive the test result within minutes, while you are still in the exam room. In some clinics, a nurse will take a sample of your blood with a finger stick. If your provider sends your blood to an off-site laboratory, it may take several days to receive the results. If the laboratory analysis is done on-site, you could have your test results within hours. Your blood might be sent to a laboratory for analysis. Obtaining the blood sample for prothrombin time testing usually takes just a few minutes, like any other blood test. You might experience soreness or minor bruising at the site in the arm where your blood is drawn. A prothrombin time test is similar to any other blood test.
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