Coag Studies HELP

pricklypear · Jun 11, 2005

Starting with PTT. Partial Thromboplastin Time. We know it monitors the effectiveness of heparin therapy. Detects coag disorders. Normal values are 20-45 seconds. MOSBY Diagnostic Lab book days PTT 60-70 seconds? if on heparin normal is 1.5-2.5 times control. So what is control? Is the control the "20-45 seconds?" So if someone is not on Heparin therapy is normal 20-45 seconds? And then does it get prolonged with PTT of 60-70 once on heparin? HELP! :rotfl:

That would be my understanding of what they mean. "control" could mean the patient's baseline value before heparin therapy was started.

christvs, DNP, RN, NP · Jun 11, 2005

Ok this may seem like a dumb question but I need some help here. I am reviewing PTT and PT values and I am kinda confused on something.
Starting with PTT. Partial Thromboplastin Time. We know it monitors the effectiveness of heparin therapy. Detects coag disorders. Normal values are 20-45 seconds. MOSBY Diagnostic Lab book days PTT 60-70 seconds? if on heparin normal is 1.5-2.5 times control. So what is control? Is the control the "20-45 seconds?" So if someone is not on Heparin therapy is normal 20-45 seconds? And then does it get prolonged with PTT of 60-70 once on heparin? I am way confused on how all that works. My pharm instructor didn't go over it very well.
PT- Prothrombin time. Monitors the effect of coumadin therapy. Detects coag disorders. 9.5-12.0 seconds is normal value. What does it mean then when we talk about "full anticoag therapy >1.5-2.0 times control value 20-30%.
I know the antidotes for both Coumadin and Heparin Vit K and protamine sulfate. Its probably something so simple and I am just thinking to hard.
Anyone willing to share their brain on this will be much appreciated!
HELP! :rotfl:

wow!!! This is the weirdest thing ever!!!!! I JUST wrote the exact same plea for help in the NCLEX discussion threads like 2 hours after you wrote this one! I didn't even look here before I wrote mine in the other place! I also was reviewing lab values for NCLEX and all the PT/PTT/INRs were driving me crazy! Look at what I wrote there: I just checked in a few reference books now and I think it's correct. You're my twin! How funny !:)

-Christine

P.S This is so weird still! I also wrote how confused I am about which PTT range is the right one cuz Mosby Lab Ref and a Kaplan book said different things-60-70 sec or 25-40 sec? I still don't know which is right! Maybe I'll e-mail a nursing prof on that one! I can't get over how funny that is cuz I was going on and on about the exact same thing today-I'm not even kidding! :) Good luck with the studying !

VegasRN · Jun 12, 2005

wow!!! This is the weirdest thing ever!!!!! I JUST wrote the exact same plea for help in the NCLEX discussion threads like 2 hours after you wrote this one! I didn't even look here before I wrote mine in the other place! I also was reviewing lab values for NCLEX and all the PT/PTT/INRs were driving me crazy! Look at what I wrote there: I just checked in a few reference books now and I think it's correct. You're my twin! How funny !:)
-Christine
P.S This is so weird still! I also wrote how confused I am about which PTT range is the right one cuz Mosby Lab Ref and a Kaplan book said different things-60-70 sec or 25-40 sec? I still don't know which is right! Maybe I'll e-mail a nursing prof on that one! I can't get over how funny that is cuz I was going on and on about the exact same thing today-I'm not even kidding! :) Good luck with the studying !

LOL well at least now I dont feel like a total loser! lol! I guess the PT/PTT values is something many of us got really confused on. The professors of my program were vary vague about it. In clinicals I would say things like well thats an ok normal praying I was right. I do think that the control is 25-40 seconds and then 1.5-2.5 times the control value would be therapeutic range, as if you would multiply that number to the time in seconds gives you the therapeutic ranges of 60-70 seconds. Thats the only way it makes sense to me. like 30 seconds times a control value of 2 would be 60 seconds (Within the therapeutic ranges of 60-70. or 2.5x 25=62.5...... I dont know if I am right but that is the only way I can correlate the two numbers when we bring into the therapeutic range in mosby needing to be 1.5-2.5 times control........... I am going with my idea of what it is because it is the only way it all makes sense. Good luck

Nurse2B2005 · Jun 12, 2005

LOL well at least now I dont feel like a total loser! lol! I guess the PT/PTT values is something many of us got really confused on. The professors of my program were vary vague about it. In clinicals I would say things like well thats an ok normal praying I was right. I do think that the control is 25-40 seconds and then 1.5-2.5 times the control value would be therapeutic range, as if you would multiply that number to the time in seconds gives you the therapeutic ranges of 60-70 seconds. Thats the only way it makes sense to me. like 30 seconds times a control value of 2 would be 60 seconds (Within the therapeutic ranges of 60-70. or 2.5x 25=62.5...... I dont know if I am right but that is the only way I can correlate the two numbers when we bring into the therapeutic range in mosby needing to be 1.5-2.5 times control........... I am going with my idea of what it is because it is the only way it all makes sense. Good luck

Hi! I read your post and it reminded me that I needed to brush up on Heparin and Coumadin a little bit. While doing Saunders, the rationale for PTT/PT is listed as follows:

Normal PTT varies between 20-36 seconds, depending on the type of activator used in the setting. The therapeutic dose of Heparin is to keep the PTT between 1.5-2.5 times normal.

Normal PT is 9.5-11.8 seconds. A therapeutic PT level is 1.5-2.0 times greater than the patient's control level.

I remember my instructors always saying that the PTT/PT time varies by facility, so I think that is why I was always confused, because everytime I tried to figure out what PTT/PT was all about - they would just tell me "it depends on the facility." I also noticed that different books have different values for what is normal.

I think your idea makes perfect sense to me! :) Good luck!