Knowing more about Lab tests, your Doctor prescribes you

Importance

Laboratory tests are often part of a routine check-up to look for changes in your health. They also help doctors diagnose medical conditions, plan or evaluate treatments, and monitor diseases.

Routine lab test is a medical procedure that involves testing a sample of blood, urine, or other substance from the body. Laboratory tests can help determine a diagnosis, plan treatment, check to see if treatment is working, or monitor the disease over time.

Doctors suggest to get routine lab tests done once in every year.

Types

During a routine physical, a doctor may order one of the following tests:

Complete blood count

A complete blood count (CBC) measures a variety of the blood’s components, such as: 

• red blood cells 

• white blood cells 

• haemoglobin 

• platelets 

• mean corpuscular volume (MCV) — the average size of a person’s red blood cells 

• haematocrit — how much space red blood cells take up in the blood

A CBC test helps a doctor identify blood disorders or diseases, such as anaemia, issues with clotting, inflammation, infection, or immune system disorders.

Blood enzyme tests

Blood enzyme tests measure the levels of specific enzymes in the body. The body produces enzymes to help control chemical reactions within the body. Enzyme blood tests can help a doctor identify specific health problems, including a heart attack. If a doctor suspects a heart attack, they will check the levels of the cardiac troponin enzyme, which the heart releases when it is injured.

Common enzymes tested include: 

• Creatine phosphokinase (CPK-1). This is found in your lungs and brain. High levels can indicate brain injuries or cancer. 

• CPK-2 (CK-MB). These enzymes are found in your heart. They often increase in your blood after a heart attack or other heart injury. 

• CPK-3. These enzymes are also found in your heart. They often result from muscle inflammation, injury, or intense exercise. 

• Troponin. This is a heart enzyme that can leak into your blood and results from heart injury.

Blood clotting tests

A blood clotting test, also known as a coagulation panel, PT and Pro Time. This test measures how long it takes blood to clot. This coagulation test measures the presence and activity of five different blood clotting factors. This test can screen for bleeding abnormalities, and may also be used to monitor medication treatments that prevent the formation of blood clots. A doctor may order this test if they suspect the person may have a blood clotting disorder.

Lipoprotein panel

If a doctor wants to assess a person’s risk for developing coronary heart disease or other atherosclerotic problems, they will likely order a lipoprotein, or lipid, panel. A lipoprotein panel will provide information about a person’s: 

• low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level 

• high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level 

• total cholesterol level 

• triglycerides level in the blood

A person will need to fast for 8 to 10 hours