A method for monitoring coagulation of a sample from a test subject, wherein the sample is plasma, blood, or a fraction of blood, the method comprising: (a) measuring a plurality of T 2 measurements of the sample over time with an NMR detector using a CPMG sequence that is repeated to produce each one of the T 2 measurements, wherein the T 2 measurements are responsive to the coagulation state of the sample; (b) based upon the results of step (a), determining a coagulation time of the sample; and (c) comparing the measured value obtained in (b) with a normal standard or control, characterized in that (i) an uncoagulated sample is characterized by a first average T 2 value and a coagulated sample is characterized by a second average T 2 value; (ii) the repeated CPMG sequence is characterized by a dwell time between 0.6 seconds and 45 seconds, a recycle delay of between 0.1 seconds and 100 seconds, a number of acquired echoes of up to 10,000, and an inter-echo delay of between 0.01 milliseconds and 10 milliseconds; wherein the recycle delay is the time between the last acquired echo of the n th CPMG pulse sequence and a first radiofrequency pulse of the (n+1) th CPMG pulse sequence, where n is an integer, and the dwell time is the sum of the recycle delay and the acquisition time of the repeated CPMG pulse sequence, whereby the acquisition time is the inter-echo delay times the number of acquired echoes, times the sum of one plus the number of dummy echoes in the repeated CPMG pulse sequence; and (iii) prior to step (a), a prothrombin time coagulation reagent or an activated partial thromboplastin time coagulation reagent is mixed with the sample under conditions suitable for the coagulation reagent to induce or support coagulation in the sample. (a) measuring a plurality of T 2 measurements of the sample over time with an NMR detector using a CPMG sequence that is repeated to produce each one of the T 2 measurements, wherein the T 2 measurements are responsive to the coagulation state of the sample; (b) based upon the results of step (a), determining a coagulation time of the sample; and (c) comparing the measured value obtained in (b) with a normal standard or control, (i) an uncoagulated sample is characterized by a first average T 2 value and a coagulated sample is characterized by a second average T 2 value; (ii) the repeated CPMG sequence is characterized by a dwell time between 0.6 seconds and 45 seconds, a recycle delay of between 0.1 seconds and 100 seconds, a number of acquired echoes of up to 10,000, and an inter-echo delay of between 0.01 milliseconds and 10 milliseconds; wherein the recycle delay is the time between the last acquired echo of the n th CPMG pulse sequence and a first radiofrequency pulse of the (n+1) th CPMG pulse sequence, where n is an integer, and the dwell time is the sum of the recycle delay and the acquisition time of the repeated CPMG pulse sequence, whereby the acquisition time is the inter-echo delay times the number of acquired echoes, times the sum of one plus the number of dummy echoes in the repeated CPMG pulse sequence; and (iii) prior to step (a), a prothrombin time coagulation reagent or an activated partial thromboplastin time coagulation reagent is mixed with the sample under conditions suitable for the coagulation reagent to induce or support coagulation in the sample.