Proper blood flow in the body is important for good health, but sometimes the blood becomes too thick or thin, which can be dangerous for health. In such a situation, it is important to detect it in time. Dr Suvakar Dutta of the Pathology Department at Delhi AIIMS has told about this.
Blood thickening test: The blood in our body flows with a certain thickness so that it can supply oxygen and nutrients properly to the entire body, but sometimes this blood becomes thicker or thinner than normal. Thick blood means that there are more clotting factors in it, due to which blood clots can form quickly. At the same time, thin blood means that the ability to clot in the blood has decreased, which increases the risk of bleeding. This condition can occur due to many reasons such as dehydration, intake of certain medicines, liver problems, vitamin K deficiency or genetic reasons. In such a situation, it becomes important to know whether the blood is normal or not and we can find this out through some special tests.
Both conditions of excessively thick or thin blood can prove to be dangerous for health. If the blood has become thick, it can slow down the blood flow in the body, which leads to the formation of blood clots. This can cause serious problems like stroke, heart attack or deep vein thrombosis. On the other hand, if the blood becomes too thin, it can cause excessive bleeding even in small injuries and the risk of internal bleeding also increases. Thin blood can become a big problem especially in case of surgery or injury. Therefore, if you notice symptoms like frequent nose bleeding, late stopping of blood after injury or swelling in the legs, it is important to get it checked immediately.
Which test should be done?
Dr Suvakar Dutta of the pathology department at Delhi AIIMS says that to know whether the blood is thick or thin, doctors recommend getting some special blood tests done. The most common and important tests are PT (Prothrombin Time) and INR (International Normalized Ratio). These tests check the process of blood clotting. If the level of PT-INR is less than normal, then the blood may become thick and if it is high, then there is a possibility of blood becoming thin.
Apart from this, CBC (Complete Blood Count) test can also estimate the number of platelets and the quality of blood. D-Dimer test and Blood Viscosity test are also helpful in checking the level of blood thickness. The doctor suggests you the right test according to the symptoms. Based on these reports, it is possible to start treatment in time, which can prevent serious health problems.
keep these things in mindDrink adequate amounts of water.
Do not take blood thinner medicines without doctor's advice.
Take a nutritious diet.
Stay away from smoking and alcohol.
Keep getting health checkups done from time to time.
Include exercise in your daily routine.