3. Discuss the clinical significance of bleeding time.

Bleeding time is a laboratory test to assess platelet function and the body’s ability to
form a clot. It is a widely used and popular test to explore primary hemostasis , which
involves platelet adherence to injured capillaries and then platelet activation and
aggregation. The bleeding time can be abnormal when the platelet count is low or the
platelets are dysfunctional. A bleeding time evaluation is most helpful in a patient with
clinical bleeding whose platelet count and results of coagulation studies (PT/INR, aPTT)
are normal. In this setting, the bleeding time will help recognize dysfunctional platelets.
Causes of abnormal bleeding time can be hereditary or acquired.’ The most common
use of the bleeding time is as preoperative screening of potentially dangerous platelet
disorders. Because surgery entails a major challenge to hemostasis, which may be fatal
in case of hemostatic defects, it makes sense to search for preoperative screening of
potentially dangerous bleeding. A high value for the Bleeding Time Blood Test may
indicate: von Willebrand disease and Blood clot formation inside blood vessels
(thrombosis)

http://www.bloodjournal.org/content/bloodjournal/84/10/3363.full.pdf?sso-checked=1

https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/2085022-overview#a4

https://www.dovemed.com/common-procedures/procedures-laboratory/bleeding-
time-blood-test/