Normal Range of D Dimer and Results

A D-dimer test is a type of blood test that measures D-dimer, a protein fragment generated by the body when a blood clot dissolves. D-dimer is often undetectable or detectable only at extremely low levels unless the body is actively generating and dismantling substantial blood clots.

A positive or high D-dimer test result can suggest that you have got a blood clotting disorder, but it does not ensure you have one. The results of a D-dimer test cannot tell you what kind of clotting disease you suffer from or where the blood clot is in your body.

D-dimer typically breaks down in your blood. But if the clot does not break up or create another one, you will have an elevated D-dimer value. This can lead to some medical conditions. A D-dimer test essentially measures the amount of D-dimer in your blood. Learn the details of the D-dimer test, the normal D-dimer range and the normal D-dimer level by reading further. 

What Is The Average Range for D-Dimers?

A 2022 article claims that the normal D-dimer level is less than 0.50 mg/L of FEU (fibrinogen equivalent units). Individuals may have blood clots if their D-dimer level is 0.50 mg/L or greater.

A positive D-dimer test may indicate a clotting issue. On the other hand, it cannot identify the specific clotting disease or pinpoint the precise site of blood clots.

What Does a High D-Dimer Result Mean?

If your findings show that the D-dimer levels in your blood are higher than what is considered normal, this might indicate that you have a disease that affects how your blood clots. The kind of blood clotting disorder you may have or the location of the blood clot(s) in your body cannot be determined by a D-dimer test.

If you have been detected with disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and are currently receiving therapy for it, a high level of D-dimer in your blood almost certainly indicates that your medication is not functioning as well as it should be.

You can have high D-dimer levels even if you do not have a condition that makes your blood clot. Other things that can cause D-dimer levels to be higher than normal include the following:

• Heart disease
• Trauma
• Infection
• Recent surgery  

D-dimer levels increase in older people, and rheumatoid arthritis may cause false-positive results. If your D-dimer levels are abnormal, your doctor will conduct imaging or more blood tests to determine what is wrong.

What Is the Purpose of a D-Dimer Test?

Doctors may suggest a D-dimer test if a person shows signs of a blood clotting disorder. The test is frequently conducted in a hospital or emergency room.

Most frequently, healthcare professionals use D-dimer tests to find out whether a patient has a condition that causes their blood to clot.

Deep Vein Thrombosis

Deep vein thrombosis, also known as venous thrombosis or DVT, is a blood clot forming in a deep vein in your body. Blood flow through the vein may be partially or completely blocked by the clot. Most DVTs occur in the thigh, lower leg or pelvis. However, it may also occur in the arms, intestines, brain, kidney or liver.

Pulmonary Embolism

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a blood clot in your lung that occurs when a clot from another part of your body, usually your leg or arm, travels through your bloodstream and gets stuck in your lung's blood vessels.

Diffuse Intravascular Coagulation

Diffuse intravascular coagulation (DIC) creates too many blood clots to form in the body, which can damage organs and cause other serious complications. A D-dimer test is used to help doctors diagnose DIC, but it is also used to check how well DIC treatment works.

Stroke

When the blood vessel in your brain gets blocked or bursts, you have a stroke, also known as a 'brain attack'. Strokes happen when blood cannot reach a part of the brain because one or more blood vessels are blocked.

Who Performs the D-Dimer Test? 

Blood draws, such as those for a D-dimer test, are typically done by a phlebotomist. However, any healthcare provider who has been trained to draw blood can do this job. After that, your healthcare practitioner will send the samples to a laboratory. In the laboratory, a medical laboratory scientist will prepare the samples for testing and conduct the analyses using specialised analysers.

What Are the Next Steps?

If the result of the D-dimer test is unexpected, your doctor may prescribe one or more tests (imaging tests) to determine whether you have a blood coagulation disorder and the location of any potential blood clots. For high D-dimer blood levels, imaging techniques are done, which consist of the following:

Doppler Ultrasound

Sound vibrations are used in this imaging test to create an image of your vessels.

Angiography Using Computed Tomography (CT)

Your doctor injects a special pigment into one of your vessels for this imaging test. This aids in the visibility of your blood vessels on a specialised X-ray machine.

Lung Ventilation-Perfusion Scan 

A lung VQ scan is a test that uses a V (ventilation) scan to determine the lung's airflow and a Q (perfusion) scan to determine where blood circulates in the lungs. Both tests use minute, safe quantities of radioactive substances to enable a scanning machine to determine how effectively air and blood travel through your lungs.

When Should I See My Doctor?

If you think you might have a stroke or pulmonary embolism, go to the nearest emergency room immediately.

Call your doctor right away if you think you might have deep vein thrombosis symptoms.

Among the health conditions for abnormal blood clotting are major surgery, obesity, fractured bones, smoking and some malignancies. This may affect the typical D-dimer test value. Physicians may prescribe a D-dimer test if they predict a blood clot. Medical issues may be ruled out with the surgery.  

Conclusion

• Anything less than 0.50 mg/L is considered a D-dimer normal range.
• The D-dimer value can determine the existence of blood clots.
• An elevated D-dimer value may suggest a coagulation problem.

Keep an eye on your health to stay in shape. If you are experiencing any symptoms, you should follow your doctor's instructions and undertake treatments such as a blood test. With Metropolis, you can schedule a lab test and closely monitor your health. Book your D-Dimer Quant Plasma test today!