
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor is a neurotrophin that is especially important for the survival of neurons, although its functions go much…
The blood test is a routine test that is performed without suspicion of disease on many occasions. In other cases, it allows detecting a pathology in its initial stages.
Blood tests, as their name suggests, is a routine test that’s performed to count the number and types of cells that are present in this fluid. In addition to the presence of red blood cells, leukocytes, and platelets, the concentration of certain substances of medical interest is also quantified.
Experts recommend that people have at least one blood test a year, in order to determine the levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, urea, glucose, and, in addition, to perform a complete blood count. This last study refers to the quantity and variations of blood elements (circulating cells).
Mismatches in a blood test don’t always have to imply an illness, but they’re sometimes indicative of conditions such as dyslipidemia, anemia, kidney failure, and even the presence of some types of cancer. If you’d like to know all about this common and essential lab test, read on.
Blood is a connective tissue of a fluid nature that circulates through veins, capillaries, and arteries, in order to transport oxygen and nutrients to each and every one of the cells, collecting waste substances along the way.
It’s estimated that an adult human being has about 5 liters (nearly 9 pints) of circulating blood inside them and that, to mobilize it correctly, the heart must beat between 60 and 100 times per minute.
Understanding the life of living beings without blood is impossible, since this liquid allows the nutrition and metabolism of cell bodies. According to the Roche Patients medical portal, the general composition of blood is as follows:
Despite being fluid in nature, blood performs immune, transport, and storage functions, among many other things. According to the Argentine Ministry of Health, some of the most relevant are the following:
Such is the importance of this tissue that, in events such as cerebrovascular accidents – in which the blood supply to brain tissue is cut off – it takes a few minutes for the affected cells to begin to die.
As we’ve already explained the composition and function of blood, it’s time to answer the following questions: Who should have a blood test? How are they done? What do the results mean? In the following lines, we’ll answer each and every one of the questions raised here.
As indicated by the Kidshealth portal, a blood test is usually part of a routine process, but it can also be requested as a screening test, or because the patient is not feeling well. In general, it is indicated for the following:
So, if a doctor asks you for a blood test, don’t be alarmed. The most normal thing is for us all to have one on an annual basis. And, if you haven’t got any symptoms, then doctors aren’t necessarily looking for anything in particular.
Most of us have had a blood test at some point: a needle, a quick prick, a cotton ball to prevent more blood from coming out, and home. Even so, the Líder Doctor portal gives us some advice to ensure that this blood test will show a true reflection of the patient’s current health status. Among them, we find the following:
In the blink of an eye, the test is done. Usually, the amount taken is 10 to 12 milliliters, so you will hardly even realize you’re missing any! Once the required volume has been collected, the blood is sent to the laboratory for analysis.
It’s time to get a bit technical now, because it’s time to reel off all the parameters that are taken into account when analyzing the samples from blood tests. We’ll begin by saying the following: the results are divided into two phases, the complete blood count and the biochemical portion. The Cultural Association of Diabetics of Cáceres helps us with this.
As indicated by the Mayo Clinic, the hemogram measures the amount and variations of blood elements, that is, specialized circulating cells. Among them, we find the following:
Red blood cells are specialized cellular corpuscles, lacking nuclei and mitochondria, which carry oxygen thanks to hemoglobin. The mean for men is 5,000,000 and for women 4,500,000 per cubic millimeter. A lower than normal value will trigger some type of anemia, such as sickle cell disease.
This is a similar parameter, as it measures the percentage of red blood cells present in the blood. It’s a good indicator to calculate anemia.
We’ll include three terms in a single category, as they all have something in common. These are as follows:
We’re not going to dwell too much on numerical clusters, as it’s enough to know that the leukocyte formula quantifies the proportion of white blood cells present in the blood. This includes neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes.
A mismatch in the leukocyte formula can signify an allergy or inflammatory processes, among others.
Platelets are the cells in charge of plugging wounds, initiating blood clot formation, and preventing the loss of this tissue due to hemorrhage. The normal count is between 150,000 and 400,000 units per cubic millimeter. Its deficiency can show illnesses such as immune thrombocytopenia.
Typical circulating blood cell bodies aren’t measured in this part of the test. Some of the biological compounds that are quantified are the following:
As you can see, the count of cell bodies is as important as other plasma substances.
Many of these values can vary depending on the patient without this being a problem but, sometimes, these imbalances can be the first indication of an underlying pathology.
As you can see, blood tests measure a lot of things. From the proportion of circulating red blood cells to the presence of cholesterol, there’s a wide range of biological parameters that provide very relevant information to medical specialists about the general state of health of the patient.
For all these reasons, you don’t have to feel bad to get a blood test. This is a free, quick, and almost painless test, but it can detect many physiological problems before they become too serious. Make blood tests routine – you’ll appreciate them in the future!