Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT)

This test measures how long it takes your blood to form a clot. Normally, when one of your blood vessels is damaged, proteins in your blood called clotting factors come together in a certain order to form blood clots and quickly stop bleeding. The aPTT test can be used to assess how well those clotting factors are working.

Normal results:

A typical aPTT value is 30-40 seconds.

If you get the test because you are taking heparin, your aPTT should be 60-80 seconds. If your number is higher than normal, it could mean several things, from a bleeding disorder to liver disease.

What does it mean when your PTT is high?

If your partial thromboplastin time (PTT) test result is high, it means your blood is taking longer to clot than it should. This could mean:

• Your heparin dose is too high.
• You have an autoimmune disease that affects clotting.
• Conditions like hemophilia, von Willebrand disease, liver disease, or certain medications.

Treatment depends on the underlying cause and may involve managing the condition, administering clotting factors or blood products, or adjusting medications.