Category
Point of Care Testing
Typical Use
Measure prothrombin time and INR for anticoagulation management.
Description
A handheld or benchtop device that provides rapid measurement of prothrombin time and international normalized ratio from capillary or venous blood to guide warfarin dosing, perioperative anticoagulation decisions, and bleeding risk assessment at the bedside or clinic. Point of care coagulation testing enables timely adjustments in anticoagulant therapy and supports outpatient monitoring programs, but requires quality control, periodic correlation with central laboratory assays, and awareness of interfering factors such as heparin or direct oral anticoagulants. Proper sample collection, device calibration, and documentation are essential to ensure safe anticoagulation management and to minimize thrombotic or bleeding complications.