While no one likes to draw blood, these tests can reveal a lot of our healthyproviding information about everything from cholesterol levels to kidney function. How often you should have blood tests depends on your age, health, and the type of blood test, but if you haven’t had a blood test for a while, you should ask your doctor if it’s time to finish it.
everything Different types of blood tests There, figure out which one you need and when. To help, we spoke with the doctors about their expert insights and discussed some important blood tests you might want to talk to your doctor.
1. Complete blood count
Complete blood count routine tests provide snapshots of the body’s blood production and immunity. This test measures a variety of components in the blood, including red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.
Dr. Soma MandalA board-certified physician at Summit Health in New Providence, NJ said taking the CBC test “a portion of routine health checks for people of all ages or when symptoms raise potential health issues, CBC tests are recommended.”
Dr. Maria NobelThe Medical Director of the UK Medical Certificate agrees that this basic test is suitable for many patients. She said the test is ideal for anyone who has a routine health checkup. However, she advises you that if you “experience symptoms such as persistent fatigue, unexplained bruises, or frequent infections” you may wish to get it.
A CBC blood test can indicate a lot of things, including:
- allergy
- anemia
- Certain cancers
- heart disease
- Immune system diseases
- Infect
- inflammation
- Lack of iron
- leukemia
- Low platelets (which can affect blood clotting)
- Risk of coagulation and bleeding
- Vitamin deficiency
Mandal explained that each lab may have a slight difference in what they think is a “normal” test result. The normal range of adults is usually considered to be:
Red blood cells: 45,000-5,900 cells (male), 41,000-5,100,000 cells per microcolumn (female)
leukocyte: 4,500-11,000 units per microcolumn
Hemoglobin: 13.8-17.2 g per decomposition device (male), 12.1-15.1 g/decomposition device (female)
Hematocrit: 40.7%-50.3% (male), 36.1%-44.3% (female)
Platelets: 150,000-450,000 platelets
2. Lipid panels
Lipids are fat and fatty substances in the blood. One type of lipid is cholesterol, which is used as an energy source. Too many “Bad” cholesterol (LDL or LDL) can damage your heart.
If you have cardiovascular disease or other risk factors, you may need to undergo this test. Mandal noted that the test is crucial for “risk of cardiovascular disease, including a family history of heart disease, smokers, people with high blood pressure or people with overweight.”
Knöbel explained that the lipid panel measures total cholesterol, which also breaks down into HDL/LDL:
- Triglycerides
- LDL (bad cholesterol)
- HDL (good cholesterol)
“Elevated LDL levels are associated with an increased risk of heart disease, while high HDL levels are often protective. Elevated triglycerides may also indicate a risk of heart disease and may be associated with other diseases such as diabetes,” she said.
The normal parameters of adult lipid panels are:
Total cholesterol: Less than 200 mg/dl
LDL cholesterol: Less than 100 mg/dl
HDL cholesterol: 40 mg/dl or higher (male), 50 mg/dl or higher (female)
Triglycerides: Less than 150 mg/dl
3. Basic metabolic panel
The Basic Metabolic Panel (BMP) measures what Knöbel calls “a key aspect of body chemistry.” This includes glucose, calcium and electrolytes such as sodium, potassium and bicarbonate. The test also looks for indicators of renal function, such as blood urea nitrogen and creatinine.
“Glucose levels provide insight into blood sugar control,” Nobel explained. “Electrolyte imbalance can reveal problems related to dehydration, kidney disease, or metabolic imbalance. Abnormal calcium levels can indicate problems with bone health or parathyroid function.” BMP is often part of a routine exam. Patients with diabetes or kidney disease or patients at risk for these diseases may also be advised.
The results of BMP may indicate:
- Dehydration
- Bone health deteriorates
- diabetes
- hypertension
- Kidney disease
For adults, Mandal said the normal range of the test results is:
Bicarbonate:23-30 meq/l
Blood urea nitrogen (BUN): 7-20 mg/dl
calcium: 8.5-10.2 mg/dl
chloride:96-106 MEQ/L
Creatinine: 0.6-1.3 mg/dl
glucose: 70-99 mg/dl (fasting)
Potassium:3.5-5.0 meq/l
sodium:135-145 MEQ/L.
4. Hemoglobin A1c
The hemoglobin A1C test (also known as HBA1C) is a blood test that measures the average blood sugar level over the past 2-3 months. Mandel explained that it is mainly used to diagnose and monitor diabetes and prediabetes. If you are overweight, have symptoms of diabetes, have a family history of diabetes, or are over 45 years old, the doctor says you can Want to take this test, too. Daily sugar tests allow you to appreciate your blood sugar levels in the short term. On the other hand, the test is a long-term view of the body’s level of management of glucose.
Having an HBA1C test may reveal some things about your health:
- diabetes
- Poor blood sugar control (higher risk of diabetes vs higher risk of complications)
- Before diabetes
The normal range of test results is:
Ordinary: Less than 5.7%
Before diabetes: 5.7% to 6.4%
diabetes: 6.5% or higher
5. Thyroid function test
If you are experiencing fatigue, weight changes, irregular heartbeat, hair loss, or mood swings, you may need to have a thyroid function test. Usually prescription Only symptoms are shown As mentioned earlier, the test measures the amount of thyroid stimulating hormone in the blood. Your doctor can use the results to see the function of your thyroid gland (the small gland that releases hormones in the front of your throat). Mandal told us that the test is often included in routine health screening, especially in women over the age of 60.
Your blood test may indicate:
- High TSH levels/hyroidism (insufficient thyroid activity)
- Low TSH levels/hyperthyroidism (hyperactivity of thyroid)
- Abnormal levels of T3 and T4 (other thyroid diseases)
Doctors usually consider the following normal ranges for adult test results:
TSH level: 0.4-4.0 miu/l
Free T4 levels:0.8-1.8 ng/dl
Free T3 levels: 2.3-4.2 pg/ml
6. 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D
According to Mount Sinai of the New York Hospital System, some Elderly patients can benefit from obtaining 25-hydroxyl tests Check them out Vitamin D level. People over the age of 65 may benefit from osteoporosis, limited exposure and/or celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, or ulcerative colitis.
Most people get plenty of vitamin D from the sun. As we age, the skin production and intestinal absorption of vitamins will decrease. It is important to determine if you don’t have enough vitamin D, as it helps everything from bone health to immunity and energy levels.
25-hydroxyvitamin D will reveal two things:
- 25 Hydroxy Vitamin D3 (cholesterol)
- 25 hydroxyvitamin D2 (Ergocalciferol)
There are some differences among doctors about the health range of vitamin D, but one generally accepted range is 20 and 40 ng/ml.
FAQs for Blood Testing
Why is blood test important?
Blood tests are important because they can help your doctor monitor your health and the effectiveness of treatment. They can also help doctors diagnose different medical conditions and determine the best treatment path.
If my blood test is normal, can I still have cancer?
Regular blood tests may not detect most types of cancer, so even if your blood test returns to normal, you may still have cancer. Cancer also requires other diagnostic and laboratory tests to confirm. If you are concerned about some type of cancer, discuss it with your doctor.
Which blood tests require fasting?
According to Harvard Health, Fasting is usually recommended Before testing such as glucose (blood sugar) and triglycerides, the latter is part of the cholesterol or lipid panel. If you are confused about how long should your blood test last quickly before you check it, consult your doctor.
Bottom line
It is always important to discuss your health and any related issues with your doctor before asking for any type of test. Depending on your personal situation and health plan, your doctor may ask blood to work outside of this list, or that you do not need some of the above tests.
Generally, many people can benefit from CBC, lipid panels, BMP, and hemoglobin A1C even without any symptoms. Also, if you experience any symptoms, you should consider thyroid function and vitamin D tests. If you are older, you may also want to talk to your doctor about your vitamin D absorption.
If your lab is abnormal, additional screening and more frequent repeat labs may be required. If your lab is normal, these labs may only need to be repeated once a year while performing annual exams with the primary doctor.
