Diagnostic tests are important in every area of life. If you experience an issue with your car, a diagnostic test provides a quick and accurate assessment of your vehicle so it can be fixed. In schools, it is used to help teachers identify gaps in learning so they can help the students where it’s needed most.
In health care, diagnostic tests help identify and diagnose a medical condition or disease. One of the most common ways to screen patients is a blood test.
Here are the five most common blood tests and what they tell you and your doctors about your health.
CBC
One of the most common blood tests, this gives providers a good overview of your blood health. The most important components of this lab test tend to be the hemoglobin level, the hematocrit, the white blood cell count, the platelet count, and the size of the red blood cells.
“Generally, this set of labs can give information about many things including possible infection, anemia, your body’s responses to various medications or substances, the possible presence of sleep apnea, leukemia or other blood cancers, and more,” said Michael Sterner, DO, family medicine doctor at McLaren Greater Lansing Family Medicine.
BMP
This test provides a quick snapshot for your provider into your body’s chemical balance and how well certain organs are functioning. This blood test includes your electrolytes, which control fluid balance and muscle function; glucose level, which if high can indicate diabetes; and creatinine, to see how well your kidneys are filtering waste.
CMP
Think of this test as a more detailed test than a BMP. It includes everything a BMP test does plus liver enzymes and proteins, and Bilirubin, to see how well your liver is working.
“Both the BMP and CMP are important for general screening but also because a lot of the medication patients are regularly prescribed can impact some of the values evaluated in these labs,” said Dr. Sterner.
Lipid Panel
A lipid panel measures the fat in your blood. It gives information about your triglycerides, your total cholesterol, your HDL or “good” cholesterol, and your LDL or “bad” cholesterol.
“Studies have taught us that the value that matters the most of is the LDL part of your cholesterol,” said Dr. Sterner. “The lower we can get the LDL, the better. The lower the LDL, the better a patient is in terms of controlling risk against heart attack or stroke.”
A1c
“This is a three-month average of your blood glucose level, and for layman’s purposes, I often tell people this is the ‘diabetic number’ so that they know what we are testing for. Generally, a value between 5.7 and 6.4 is pre-diabetes whereas anything 6.5 and higher is diabetes,” said Dr. Sterner.
Getting regular blood tests is important for your health. They help doctors find diseases, but also give them a heads-up if you’re at risk for developing something, so they can step in early.
“For those being treated for different conditions, I would generally say it’s important to have a blood test every 3-6 months, depending on the specific disease and patient,” said Dr. Sterner. “For healthy individuals not on any medications, I would say get labs and an annual physical every year.”
If it’s time for your annual exam and you are looking for a family doctor, Dr. Sterner is accepting new patients. Call (517) 975-3750 to schedule your new patient appointment.
If you are looking for a lab to have your blood work completed, most McLaren labs offer same-day appointments. Schedule yours here.
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