In addition to routine labs, which tests should be drawn for thorough assessment?

A thorough assessment in critical care often includes evaluating the hemostatic function of the patient, which is crucial in detecting coagulopathies or other bleeding disorders. The prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT, or PTT) are essential tests that evaluate the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways of coagulation, respectively. By assessing these values, healthcare providers can identify abnormalities that may indicate liver dysfunction, vitamin K deficiency, or anticoagulant effects, especially in patients at higher risk of bleeding due to trauma, surgery, or other critical conditions.

Serial coagulation studies are also important for monitoring the progression of a patient’s coagulopathy over time, particularly if there are ongoing concerns about bleeding or clotting. These tests can help tailor interventions, such as administration of clotting factor concentrates, blood products, or other therapeutic measures, based on the individual patient’s needs.

While other tests, such as complete blood counts, liver function tests, and thyroid function tests, contribute valuable information about a patient's overall health, they do not specifically assess the coagulation status as comprehensively as PT, PTT, and serial coags. Thus, including Prothrombin time and APTT in the assessment provides