Laboratory evaluation of hemostatic disorders

This article sketches a historical overview of milestones in diagnostic technologies to put into perspective a proposed role for laboratories in the diagnosis of coagulation disorders. Divided into five sections, the information presented in tables, illustrations, and appropriate vignettes for easy reference. The first section deals with the roles of coagulation testing in the management of bleeding and thrombotic disorders. Limitations of coagulation testing in defining the hemostatic state are discussed in the second section, and coagulation testing is reviewed in the third. In the fourth section interpretation of abnormal coagulation test results and the possible relationship to excessive bleeding and thrombosis are thoroughly discussed. The final section examines the contribution of gene analysis in establishing a diagnosis.