A prothrombin time, also known as ProTime, is a test that helps determine if your blood clots properly. It compares your blood clotting time to a typical range of time for clotting, which can help us understand if you’re being prescribed the right dose of a blood-thinning medication.
Prothrombin is a protein made by the liver, and is a clotting factor in blood. If you don’t have enough of it, you might experience excessive bleeding. If you have too much, it can lead to excessive clotting. The ProTime test can determine if you have too much or too little prothrombin. Depending on your results, you might be prescribed a blood-thinning medication or your current prescription might be updated.