9 Most Important Blood Tests

Contributed by – Healthians Team

Blood is truly a window into the health of the body!

Routine blood tests are a vital part of any diagnostic process, providing benefits that go far beyond disease prevention. It is believed to be the most important step that a person can take to prevent life-threatening disease. Approximately 70%of all medical decisions depend on their results. Blood test results help the physicians make a correct diagnosis and decide a suitable course of treatment for the patient.

Recommended list of the blood test that a patient should undergo are:

• CBC & Chemistry panel
• Fibrinogen
• Hemoglobin A1C
• Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)
• Thyroid Stimulating Hormone
• Homocysteine
• C-reactive protein
• Estradiol
• Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP)

• COMPLETE BLOOD COUNT (CBC) & CHEMISTRY PANEL

Chemistry panel and CBC are the first blood tests performed in a disease preventive program. It helps in providing an overview of the overall health.

CBC

It is a broad screening test performed to determine an individual’s general health status. It measures the number, variety, percentage, concentration, and quality of platelets, red blood cells, and white blood cells, and thus is useful in screening for infections, anemias, and other hematological abnormalities.

Chemistry Panel

This test is performed to assess a varied range of conditions and function of our organs. It provides information on the status of the cardiovascular system by testing for total cholesterol, HDL (high-density lipoprotein), LDL (low-density lipo-protein), triglycerides and the total cholesterol/HDL ratio.

• FIBRINOGEN 

Fibrinogen is a protein produced by the liver. This protein helps in the formation of the blood clot and stops bleeding. Hence, it is an important contributor for blood clotting. Fibrinogen levels get elevated in response to tissue inflammation.

Elevated levels are associated with an increased risk of heart attack, inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and glomerulonephritis (inflammation of the kidney).

Normal Range

The normal range: 200 to 400 mg/dL.

• HEMOGLOBIN A1C

HbA1C is also called as the glycated hemoglobin test and glycohemoglobin. It is a protein present on the surface of red blood cells. The sugar molecules stick to these proteins, mostly for the life of the red blood cell (about three months). The test is performed to screen for and diagnose diabetes and prediabetes in adults.

It is one of the best ways in measuring a person’s average blood sugar level over the past 2 to 3 month and is an independent predictor of heart disease risk in persons with or without diabetes.

Normal Range

• Normal range for hemoglobin A1C: 4% to 5.9%.
• Well-controlled diabetic patients levels: less than 7.0%.
• Poorly controlled diabetes level: 0% or above.

• DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE (DHEA)

DHEA is a hormone produced by the body’s adrenal glands. Our body uses DHEA to make androgens and estrogens, the male and female sex hormones. DHEA hormone levels are at their peak at about age of 25, and then they go down gradually as we start to age.

DHEA-sulfate test is performed to measure the amount of DHEA-sulfate present in the blood.

Normal Range

Normal blood levels of DHEA-sulfate can differ according to sex and age.

• THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE (TSH)

TSH is produced by the pituitary gland & is responsible for regulating the amount of hormones released by the thyroid gland. A thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) blood test is performed to determine the underlying cause of abnormal thyroid hormone levels and to screen for an underactive or overactive thyroid gland.

Normal Range

Normal range of TSH levels: 0.4 to 4.0 milli-international units per liter

• HOMOCYSTEINE

Homocysteine is a common amino acid present in our blood. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. When proteins break down, elevated levels of amino acids like homocysteine may be found in the bloodstream. Elevated levels of homocysteine are linked to early development of heart disease.

Normal Range

Normal homocysteine levels: Between 4 and 15 micromoles/liter (µmol/L).

• C-REACTIVE PROTEIN (CRP)

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a protein produced by the liver in response to inflammation. The test is performed to measures the amount of C-reactive protein in the blood, which is an indicator of the general levels of inflammation in the body. Elevated levels of CRP are caused by infections and many long-term diseases.

Normal Range

Normal range of CRP: Less than 1.0 milligram per deciliter (mg/dL) or less than 10 milligrams per liter (mg/L)

• ESTRADIOL

Estradiol is the circulating form of estrogen present in men and women and is an indicator of hypothalamic and pituitary function. An Estradiol test is performed to measures the amount of hormone Estradiol in the blood. This test helps in determining the problems related to our adrenal glands.

Normal Range

Results can vary depending on the person’s gender and age.

• Male: 10 to 50 pg/mL
• Female (premenopausal): 30 to 400 pg/mL
• Female (postmenopausal): 0 to 30 pg/mL

• COMPREHENSIVE METABOLIC PANEL

A comprehensive metabolic panel is a blood test performed to measure the sugar (glucose) level, electrolyte and fluid balance, kidney function, and liver function. This panel of test measures the blood levels of albumin, blood urea nitrogen, calcium, carbon dioxide, chloride, creatinine, glucose, potassium, sodium, total bilirubin and protein, and liver enzymes (alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and aspartate aminotransferase). Fasting is to be maintained prior to this blood test. Here at

The recommended annual blood test is a powerful approach to help us proactively take charge of our current and future health! Book a blood test for yourself or your family members at Healthians.com for accurate test results and a hassle-free experience.