What is an ACT measurement?
ACT stands for activated clotting time . It is a clotting test that may be performed in the interventional suite and is commonly used to monitor the effect of heparin. A small sample of whole blood is placed in the testing machine, and a result is available in less than 5 minutes. The reference range varies considerably, but it is usually 70 to 180 seconds. Although it can be obtained quickly, ACT is less precise than partial thromboplastin time and can be affected by a host of factors including ambient temperature, platelet count, and hemodilution.
