In the article, we will consider what prothrombin is according to Quick.
Prothrombin is a protein that takes part in the process of blood clotting and is synthesized by the liver with the participation of vitamin K. Coagulation is understood as a change in the state of blood from liquid to thick.
For normal functioning, the blood in the body must be in a liquid consistency. Damage to blood vessels should be accompanied by thickening (clotting) of blood.
Coagulation mechanism
Laboratory study of blood samples for prothrombin allows you to assess the quality of the coagulation mechanism. Like any sample for laboratory testing, blood for a prothrombin test should be taken on an empty stomach. If the patient, due to his he alth, is unable to fulfill this condition, he must eat no later than 5 hours before sampling. When taking drugs that affect blood clotting, before the analysis, you can get incorrectresults. In the case when it is impossible to refuse the use of drugs, it is important to warn the doctor about taking the medicine.
Indications for analysis
A blood coagulation test is necessary if the patient has the following pathologies or suspicion of them:
- Long-term use of indirect anticoagulants.
- Autoimmune diseases.
- Vitamin K imbalance.
- Varicosis, atherosclerosis.
- Pathological changes in the liver.
- Antiphospholipid syndrome during pregnancy (manifested by placental insufficiency, pregnancy failure, miscarriage, other complications).
In addition, a prothrombin test may be prescribed to screen for coagulation and other pathologies. In the laboratory, the natural mechanism that causes blood clotting is recreated.
The study is carried out as follows: thromboplastin and potassium ions are injected into recalcified plasma. The prothrombin complex includes several clotting factors, the surplus or deficiency of which allows the analysis to reveal.
Quick indicator
Over the past few decades, prothrombin has been calculated according to Quick in the laboratory. This method allows you to calculate the percentage expression. Scientists were asked to compare the indicator of prothrombin time and the indicator of the dependence of this time period on those present in the blood sampleprothrombin factors.
The construction of this dependence allows a very accurate assessment of the clotting index, however, this technique does not take into account the thromboplastin sensitivity coefficient.
This feature of the test affects the quality of the result if it is in the area of critical values above or below the norm. If the results are standard, and the deviations are insignificant, the INR and Quick index are directly proportional.
The card of the result of the analysis carried out in any laboratory will reflect prothrombin according to Quick. The norm is indicators in the range of 78-142%. Deviation of prothrombin from the average value is allowed, but the indicator should remain within the normal range.
In he althy people, blood clotting is often increased, that is, hypercoagulability is noted. Such a process is considered to be the norm if a person does not have chronic tissue damage and cardiovascular pathologies. Otherwise, there is a possibility of blood clots.
If the patient is prescribed blood thinners, screening should be done regularly. In some cases, the components of anticoagulant drugs create a depot (accumulation of substances) in the body, which can contribute to the development of hypocoagulation, accompanied by increased bleeding.
In addition, in the results of the prothrombin test according to Quick, the opposite process can be observed - hypercoagulability, when clotting activity increases. Excessive blood densityis much more common than deficient, but in both cases the patient needs monitoring and probably treatment.
Why do deviations from the norm of Prothrombin according to Quick occur?
The indicator is above the norm
Men aged 45 and over often see increases of over 142 percent. This situation can provoke:
- Vitamin K imbalance.
- Use of hormonal, anabolic, laxatives, antiseptics.
- Amyloidosis, nephrotic syndrome.
- Congenital anomalies of coagulation factors.
- Chronic liver pathology.
If Quick prothrombin is elevated due to a reason not included in the specified list, then there is a possibility of such diseases:
- Myocardial infarction.
- Pre-infarction condition.
- Oncological pathologies.
- Polycythemia.
- Thromboembolism.
In women, prothrombin according to Quick is increased due to prolonged use of oral contraceptives. If the patient has vascular disease, oral contraception should be discontinued.
Clotting may be slightly affected by diet. An increase in prothrombin can be caused by: fatty fish, citrus fruits, black, red berries, fermented milk products.
Why does low prothrombin occur according to Quick?
Reduced rate
Low prothrombin is accompanied by hypocoagulation, which occurs due to reasons such as:
- Using blood-thinning medications.
- Fibrinogen deficiency (acquired, congenital).
- Pathologies of the liver.
- Deficiency of certain clotting factors (congenital).
- Vitamin K deficiency.
In the presence of hypocoagulation, the following diseases can be suspected in the patient:
- Hypovitaminosis.
- Prothrombin deficiency.
- Pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Dysbacteriosis.
How to correct abnormalities?
You can adjust the prothrombin content by saturating the diet with foods rich in vitamin K: lettuce, spinach, pears, apples, bananas, carrots, cabbage.
Prothrombin according to Quick is lowered due to unbalanced nutrition, it is observed more often in men than in women, since men often prefer meat products to vegetables. Such food addictions often cause vitamin deficiencies in the body.
