Samwel Mikaye: Understanding D-Dimer in Clinical Practice
Samwel Mikaye, Medical Doctor at MSK, shared a post on LinkedIn:
”What is D-Dimer?
D-dimer is a protein fragment produced when a blood clot is broken down in the body. It is normally undetectable or very low in the blood, but levels rise when the body forms and breaks down clots.
It is used primarily as a lab test to help rule out clotting disorders.
Common Uses of D-Dimer Test
- Suspected Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) – Clots in deep veins, usually in legs.
- Pulmonary Embolism (PE) – Clots in the lungs.
- Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC) – Abnormal widespread clotting and bleeding.
- Sometimes used to monitor clot breakdown in known clotting conditions.
Interpretation
- Normal/Low D-dimer → Clotting disorder unlikely.
- High D-dimer → Suggests recent or ongoing clot formation and breakdown, but not specific. Many conditions can raise D-dimer:
- Infection
- Inflammation
- Recent surgery or trauma
- Liver disease
- Cancer
Important: A high D-dimer does not confirm a clot. Imaging (like Doppler ultrasound or CT scan) is usually needed to diagnose DVT or PE.
Advantages
- Quick blood test.
- Good for ruling out clots in low-risk patients.
Limitations
- Non-specific – many conditions can raise it.
- Not useful alone to diagnose a clot.
- Less reliable in elderly patients or those with chronic illnesses.
Think of D-dimer as a ‘smoke alarm’: a high level signals something may be wrong with clotting, but you need further tests to find the fire (actual clot).”
Other posts featuring Samwel Mikaye on Hemostasis Today.
-
Apr 14, 2026, 15:36Alisha Tuck: Navigating the First Trimester with Ultrasound and Anticoagulation Management
-
Apr 14, 2026, 15:26Tijjani Balas: The End of ‘Type O Negative’ Shortages? – A New Era in Blood Transfusion
-
Apr 14, 2026, 15:07Carlos Henrique Del Carlo: HFpEF Reimagined as an Adipose Tissue Driven Disease
-
Apr 14, 2026, 15:05Matteo Foschi: ASPERA-R Study Reveals Competing Causes Of Breakthrough Stroke On Anticoagulation
-
Apr 14, 2026, 14:48Samwel Mikaye: From Virchow’s Triad to Prevention of PE in Patients with DVT
-
Apr 14, 2026, 14:43Chokri Ben Lamine: Diamond – Blackfan Anemia and Congenital Dyserythropoietic Anemia Pearls
-
Apr 14, 2026, 14:14From the Clinical Transfusion Working Party – 2025 International Platelet Transfusion Guidelines – ISBT
-
Apr 14, 2026, 13:48Antoine Francis: This Is What a Donation Actually Becomes
-
Apr 14, 2026, 13:09Yan Leyfman: Rewriting Sickle Cell Disease Biology with CRISPR Technology