He knows how to read blood test results on a practical level, and, as an experienced lecturer and radio personality, is able to explain their meaning in a clear enjoyable manner and make the connections between the lab result numbers and the realworld functioning of your amazing human body. Understanding common blood tests and what they mean. A blood test is a laboratory analysis performed on a blood sample that is usually extracted from a vein in the arm using a hypodermic needle, or via fingerprick. An hba1c is a type of blood test which is used to help diagnose and monitor people with diabetes. Most clients have scores within the lab normal range.
Getting a blood test video for kids nemours kidshealth. Multiple tests for specific blood components, such as a glucose test. The u and e test is a blood test and requires a few millilitres of blood from a vein. Below, ive explained some of the commonly measured indicators of health. A blood test is when a sample of blood is taken for testing in a laboratory. Good blood tests make possible stateoftheart lab procedures that can be provided directly to the public in private and these blood tests can be provided affordably. Blood test results explained health testing centers. For an hiv infection, for example, you may need to wait at least a month before a blood test can detect the virus. Red blood cell analysis inside cell data, glutathione, urine iodine, omega 3 profile plus not a finger stick kit, comprehensive stool, telomere, and healthprint plus which includes rbc analysis and yfhs manual differential test offered no where else. Now with interpreting your blood work, im empowered to take a further step in understanding my own blood work. Dan makes it clear and easy to comprehend what my blood work shows.
Most blood tests only take a few minutes to complete and are carried out at your gp surgery or local hospital by a doctor, nurse or phlebotomist a specialist in taking blood samples. Blood test results help your doctor identify infections and allergies or. Triglycerides are one of the major forms of fat produced in the liver. Blood tests national heart, lung, and blood institute. Lab medicine resources for the health professional aacc, a global scientific and medical professional organization dedicated to clinical laboratory science and its application to healthcare, launched lab tests online in 2001 so that patients and caregivers can learn about the many tests that are a vital part of medical care. You know boxes provide additional key facts as quick references throughout the book. This book was originally written after feedback suggested that storytelling was. For clarification on blood test abbreviations other than those listed above just. The human chorionic gonadotropin hcg test is usually used to confirm or monitor a pregnancy. The ultimate guide to decoding your blood test results. Blood test results explained a blood test sometimes referred to as a blood panel is a laboratory examination of a blood sample used to check for a variety of things, including the functioning of certain organs such as the liver, kidneys, thyroid and heart, infections and certain genetic disorders, as well as to assess an individuals general health. These changes reflect the new roles which nurses, podiatrists and physiotherapists are developing, often with increased responsibility for examining, diagnosing and managing patients, and ordering and interpreting blood tests.
Further explanations, ranges, and sample results for our most popular lab tests are included in the links below. We will explore each blood test in more detail throughout the book. Its normal to be nervous about this test no one loves needles. A complete blood count is often a routine part of blood tests. Normal blood tests scores simply arent good enough. Blood tests are one of a doctors basic tools to check your health or test for certain conditions, illnesses, and abnormalities. The lipid panel is a collection of tests that measures two types of fat in the blood cholesterol and triglycerides. If youre wondering what affects triglyceride levels, line up the usual dietary suspects. The whole story of pregnancy test the ovulation starts after the periodical blood disappears, the following days until the day of the first menstrual day used by the ovary to growing the ova under hormone control fsh hormone, lh hormone, from the day 14 of the lmp the ovum is ready to be fertilized, in dead the best period to act sexual intercourse is from the.
The cbc also measures the oxygencarrying protein, hemoglobin, and checks the ratio of red blood cells to fluid plasma. Ask lab scientist is made to help people who need to understand their blood test results and a honest advice for what they should do after that. A free service to help people understand their blood tests results and medical examination reports. Understanding blood test result common blood tests. Blood tests can be used to assess your general health, as well as help your doctor diagnose or monitor a range of conditions. Also known as a blood chemistry, or a chemistry panel, this test looks at the levels of essential enzymes in the blood and also checks kidney function. If you are battling any health issue and you want to play an active role in your recovery, this book. If you cannot find good interpretation for your lab tests. For many tests, normal ranges vary depending on your age, gender, race, and other factors.
Blood results in clinical practice clinical investigations books. However, at this stage it is worth looking at the units and range in more. Critical unique tests offered by yfh that include yfhs interpretation for your optimum range not just lab normal range are. When alp and gamma gt are both elevated, then there is an issue. Blood tests are generally accurate, but not perfect. A practical guide to interpreting blood test results. Know how all blood tests are formatted and presented. This book was originally written after feedback suggested that storytelling was very helpful to students and practitioners wanting to remember blood tests and. Comprehensive metabolic panel cmp, complete blood count cbc. However, the values may vary based on the lab doing the. They are often used to check if drugs are present in a persons system, if medications for an illness are effective, if there are any mineral imbalance within the body and if the organs are functioning properly.
Interpreting abnormal results the full blood count. Sister jane stebbing, experienced nurse at nuffield health guildford hospital, guides you through the process. An international normalised ratio inr test measures the time taken for. In addition, the glucose level in the blood is obtained through this test and can indicate if a person needs further testing for diabetes. A guide for nurses and allied health professionals third edition 27 may, 2014 by ibadete fetahu primarily it would be helpful to both those in a hospital or community setting that deal with. Blood tests have a wide range of uses and are one of the most common types of medical test. We are leading the development of innovative test solutions to ensure you have the information you need to make important health decisions. Blood tests arent always accurate right after contracting an infection. A u and e test is commonly used to detect abnormalities of blood chemistry, primarily kidney renal function and dehydration. Routine blood results explained clinical investigations books. Getting a blood test video larger text size large text size regular text size. Blood tests allow a doctor to see a detailed analysis of any disease markers, the nutrients and waste products in your blood as well as how various organs e. Blood tests show whether the levels of different substances in your blood fall within a normal range.
A technician or your doctor analyzes the test samples to see if your results fall within the normal range. Lots of information in this book that drs dont let us little people know. We offer a wide range of private blood tests in london, with quick delivery of results most of our blood test results. In the past i would look at my reports wondering what all of the numbers meant. All blood tests, including the cbc and other panels and tests, must include certain basic.
Yfh uses its 40 year data base to compute your optimum range and determine your risk factors, not just tell you that your scores are in the lab normal range. Laboratory tests check a sample of your blood, urine, or body tissues. The gamma gt blood test is used to help a medical provider determine the cause of elevated alp alkaline phosphatase levels that are found in certain liver diseases. Routine blood results explained clinical investigations. It concentrates on investigations that are routinely requested and not on the more esoteric laboratory tests, keeping the text simple and focussed. Accordingly, in this new edition there are more details of immunology, immunological diseases, and the blood tests involved.
Webmd medical tests az find information on medical. While reading blood test results for a complete blood count, one needs to understand that the results are for three different types of cells, which are red blood cells erythrocytes. This book is an essential must have for nurses and allied health professionals who encounter routine haematology and biochemistry results. Kidney function tests usually require a 24hour urine sample and a blood test.
If youre waiting for lab test results to come back or youre trying to figure out what they mean, the process and all those medical terms and numbers can be confusing. For many blood substances, the normal range is the range of levels seen in 95 percent of healthy people in a certain group. For more information about a wider range of tests, search the blood test az index on lab tests online uk. This information helps you understand what is involved. Rounding out the book are the names of a variety of test markers that do not appear on the standard blood test, but that should be requested for a more. Pregnancy test results explained blood test results. The objective of this book is to support and enable these professionals to be successful in their new roles. A complete blood count cbc is a test that counts the cells that make up your blood. Blood test results reveal blood disorders in blood tests and also with a blood test with rare blood types. Understanding your blood test results reveals line by line how to read the data available to you on a lab report and tells you what it means about your current. The idea of having your blood taken for testing can be daunting, but the experience is hardly ever as scary as you might imagine.