Standard Blood Tests Can Illuminate Many Health Problems and Risks
A routine blood test that takes less than a minute is perhaps the most revealing tool ever invented to assess a person’s overall health. A blood sample contains information from every part of the body.
“The most commonly ordered blood tests include a CBC (complete blood count), iron studies for anemia and iron deficiency, a lipid profile to detect high cholesterol, thyroid function tests, electrolyte, liver, and kidney tests, and a glucose reading to check for diabetes,” says Elizabeth Jacobson, MD, assistant professor of clinical medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College.
Complete blood count (CBC)
The CBC is the single most common blood test, and it is often conducted as part of a routine visit to your primary physician. The test can detect diseases and conditions such as anemia, infections, blood cancers, blood clotting problems, and immune system abnormalities. The specific components of a CBC involve a measurement of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and hemoglobin. (See chart, below, for normal ranges of the various blood components.)
- Abnormal red blood cell levels may be associated with anemia, dehydration, and bleeding, among other disorders.
- White blood cell abnormalities could signal infection, blood cancer, or a problem with the immune system.
- Platelets are necessary for blood clotting. Too many platelets could be a sign of unusual bleeding; too few might cause too much clotting.
- Hemoglobin is an iron-containing protein in red blood cells. Abnormal hemoglobin levels may indicate anemia, sickle cell anemia, and blood disorders.
- Hematocrit measures how much space is taken up by red blood cells. A high hematocrit can indicate dehydration or could be a sign of a blood or bone marrow disorder, and a low level may mean anemia.
Thyroid function tests
Most routine physical exams do not include testing for thyroid gland function, but if a physician suspects a problem, he or she might order tests that measure various hormone levels (TSH, T3, and T4, for example) that can reveal thyroid abnormalities.
Women are five to eight times more likely than men to be affected by thyroid disease, and up to 60 percent of women who have a thyroid condition are unaware of it. The most common thyroid disorders are hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) and hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid).
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Blood tests can help your doctor …
➤ Evaluate how well organs are functioning
➤ Diagnose diseases and conditions
➤ Identify risk factors for heart disease
➤ Determine if medicines are working properly
➤ Assess if your blood is clotting properly
Blood chemistry, enzyme tests
The plasma component in blood is used to determine blood chemistry. A basic metabolic panel provides in-formation about blood glucose (for diabetes), electrolytes (sodium, potassium, carbon dioxide, and chloride that help maintain fluid levels), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine for kidney function. This test is also commonly referred to as a “CHEM-7.” A basic metabolic panel that includes calcium is called a “CHEM-8.”
Blood glucose level after fasting for eight to 12 hours is one of those watched closely by doctors. A range of 70-99 is normal; 100-125 is classified as prediabetes; and a reading 126 or higher is considered diabetes.
Among the many blood enzyme tests, two of them—troponin and creatine kinase—are used to diagnose heart attacks.
Tests that reveal heart disease risk
“In terms of general health,” says Dr. Jacobson, “the lipid studies are very helpful in determining long-term risk of heart disease. A blood test for lipids is also one of the first indications that some-thing might be wrong in terms of heart health.”
A typical lipoprotein panel measures four components:
- Total cholesterol: Overall indicator of coronary heart disease risk; less than 200 mg/dl is desirable
- LDL (“bad”) cholesterol: Main source of cholesterol buildup in arteries; less than 100 mg/dl is optimal
- HDL (“good”) cholesterol: Helps decrease blockages in arteries;
40-59 mg/dl is desirable, but the higher, the better - Triglycerides: A type of fat in the blood; less than 100 mg/dl is optimal
These numbers for blood lipids are generally applicable to healthy adults. However, conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and kidney disease may change the target numbers, so ask your doctor what numbers are ideal for you.
Re-test before treatment
“Fatigue, anemia, diabetes, and heart disease are the most common conditions for which blood testing provides the first indication of a health problem.I find the CBC and thyroid tests to be the most helpful in determining the cause of fatigue,” says Dr. Jacobson. “However, almost all abnormal test results should be confirmed by repeat testing before they are acted upon.”
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