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Understanding the Uses of a D-Dimer Test

Blood clotting is a crucial process in the body that prevents too much loss of blood due to an injury. When someone gets a wound or a cut, the body starts hemostasis, a specific process to form a clot and prevent an individual from losing too much blood. It creates the threads of a protein called fibrin to keep the blood clot in place.

The body dissolves the blood clot once an injury has been cured. However, in certain conditions, blood clots form even without any injury. It can be a severe condition that needs immediate attention. A D-dimer test is used to check for such conditions. A D-dimer test price depends on the location and the type of lab to pursue.

D-Dimer Test – Uses

A D-dimer test can be used as part of the health check-ups for different issues, just like a CBC test. However, doctors generally prescribe this test if they think that an individual has a blood clotting disorder. Some of the reasons why this is a test in use are: –

Pulmonary embolism (PE)

Pulmonary embolism happens when a blood clot in any other part of the body (commonly the arm or leg) moves through the bloodstream and gets stuck in an artery of the lung, obstructing the oxygen level in the lung. The condition can cause chest pain, increased heartbeat and difficulty breathing.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)

DVT is caused by a condition when the blood clots form in deep veins in the body, commonly in the legs. It can lead to leg pain, swelling and some severe complications as the blood clots can harm the valves in a vein.

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)

It is a rare blood clotting disorder. DIC can cause too many blood clots to form in the body, resulting in multiple organ damage and other serious complications. Often, doctors order D-dimer tests to diagnose this condition and monitor the effectiveness of DIC treatment.

If the result of the test shows a higher than normal D-dimer level, it may indicate that the person has a clotting disorder.

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