PT/INR is a test that the doctor does for people on blood thinner medication to check to see if they are within the acceptable range. The goal is to keep the blood thinned to a certain level. PT is prothrombin time or how quickly the blood takes to clot. INR is International Normalized Ratio. INR is the standard unit used to report the result of a PT test.People not on thinners usually have an INR of 1. The higher the INR number, the longer it takes for the blood to clot (stop bleeding). Most times people have to have their blood drawn and tested at a lab. Other people use a finger stick tester. With those, blood is drawn and placed on a stick. The stick then goes into the tester and they can get an instant INR reading.
People with mechanical heart valves can get test readers and strips for free with Medicare.
Anyone else needing these machines can be costly out of pocket. I am not sure if medical insurance covers the cost. The price of the machines is anywhere from $900 to $2,000. The test strips are $190 and $500.
Stores like Amazon.com, Ebay, and some medical supply companies carry both the PT/INR testers and the strips.
Here is an article from Aetna concerning Prothrombin Time PT/INR home testings, just to give you an idea of how medical insurance companies in the United States of America feel about these home testings.
Don't know about other insurance carriers though.
http://www.aetna.com/...ata/100_199/0173.html