Blood Testing Brisbane Northside
The fast-paced life that we have today makes individuals more prone to illnesses and acquiring certain conditions. In Brisbane, one way for doctors to check a person’s health is through a blood test. Blood tests are easy to execute and would not require any special preparations. In some instances, patients are requested to fast for 8 to 12 hours.
During a blood test, a blood sample will be extracted from a patient’s body. It is usually administered by pricking a needle on the vein in your arm. Finger pricking is also an option to test a patient’s blood. Blood tests are quick procedures and may cause a little discomfort.
The Different Types of Blood Tests
There are several types of blood tests and depending on what doctors need to observe in a patient.
Blood tests are a way for doctors to determine the following:
- Wellness of internal organs
- Presence of critical diseases and conditions such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, anaemia, and coronary heart disease
- Risk factors for heart disease
- Effectiveness of medicines
- Assessment of how well the blood health
To assess these factors, some of these blood tests are carried out:
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
This is one of the most common blood tests. This is usually requested as a part of a routine checkup. This blood tests can help detect blood diseases and disorders like anaemia, blood clotting problems, infections, cancers, and problems with the immune system. The CBC test determines the level of red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC), platelets, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and mean corpuscular volume.
Blood Chemistry
This type of blood test assesses the different chemicals in the blood. The testing is done on the plasma of the blood. This blood test can provide the doctor with information on the health of the internal organs, hence requiring the patient to fast before the procedure. The following are evaluated on a blood chemistry test: blood glucose, calcium, electrolytes, and kidney function.
Blood Enzyme Test
This type of test is focused on checking heart attack by looking into the chemical reactions in the body. The specific components that are observed are troponin and creatine kinase.
Heart Disease Risk Assessment Through Blood Test
A lipoprotein panel is the type of blood test administered to determine whether an individual is at risk for a coronary heart disease. The substance provides information on cholesterol in the blood, specifically the LDL or the bad cholesterol, HDL or the good cholesterol, and triglycerides. This type of blood test also requires fasting.
Blood Clotting Tests
Blood clotting tests are done to determine if the patient is at risk of bleeding or developing clots in the blood vessels. This test will mostly likely be recommended if the patient is likely to have a blood disorder or disease. This test is also recommended to people who are taking medicines to decrease the likelihood of having blood clots.
Once blood test analysis has been completed, these are sent to your doctor for evaluation. Sometimes, patients are surprised by the variation of numbers considered normal for a certain test. This varies depending on where your blood test was conducted. The reference range is based on the results of the blood test conducted to many people in that lab.
If in case you are feeling anxious about the outcome of the test, it may be best to bring a trusted person with you for moral support.
At Ubuntu Medical, we also do heart checks.