Blood test NOS - GP Exams

Blood tests are utilized in medical practice for diagnosing and monitoring a wide range of conditions. Here’s an overview of the most common blood tests.

Full Blood Examination (FBE)
1. Use: Evaluates overall health and detects disorders such as anemia, infection, and blood cancers.
2. Components:
  1. Red Blood Cells (RBCs), Haemoglobin (Hb), and Haematocrit (Hct): Assess oxygen-carrying capacity and potential anemia.
  2. White Blood Cells (WBCs): Indicate immune system activity.
  3. Platelets: Essential for blood clotting.
Urea, Electrolytes, and Creatinine (UEC)
1. Use: Assesses kidney function and electrolyte balance.
2. Components:
  1. Urea and Creatinine: Indicators of renal function.
  2. Electrolytes like Sodium (Na), Potassium (K), Chloride (Cl), Bicarbonate (HCO3).
Liver Function Tests (LFTs)
1. Use: Evaluates liver health.
2. Components:
  1. Total Bilirubin
  2. Enzymes such as Alanine Transaminase (ALT), Aspartate Transaminase (AST), and Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP).
  3. Albumin, and Total Protein levels.
Lipid Studies or Lipid Profile
1. Use: Assesses cardiovascular disease risk.
2. Components:
  1. Total Cholesterol,
  2. Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL),
  3. High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL),
  4. Triglycerides.
Thyroid Function Tests
1. Use: Evaluate thyroid gland function.
2. Components:
  1. Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH),
  2. Free T4 (thyroxine),
  3. Free T3 (triiodothyronine).
Glycated Haemoglobin (HbA1c)
1. Use: Monitors blood glucose control over time; aids in diabetes management.
2. Measures: Average blood glucose levels over the past 3 months.
Blood Glucose Level (BGL)
1. Use: Provides immediate measurement of blood sugar; crucial for diabetes diagnosis and management.
Coagulation Studies
1. Use: Assess blood clotting function; important for patients on anticoagulant therapy or with clotting disorders.
2. Components:
  1. International Normalized Ratio (INR),
  2. Prothrombin Time (PT),
  3. Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT).
Iron Studies
1. Use: Evaluate iron status in the body; diagnose iron deficiency or overload.
2. Components:
  1. Ferritin.
  2. Serum Iron,
  3. Total Iron-Binding Capacity (TIBC),
  4. Saturation
Bone Profile
1. Use: Assesses bone metabolism and calcium regulation.
2. Components:
  1. Calcium,
  2. Phosphate,
  3. Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP),
  4. Vitamin D levels.
Cardiac Enzymes
1. Use: Helps diagnose or monitor a heart attack or cardiac injury.
2. Components:
  1. Troponin,
  2. Creatine Kinase (CK), sometimes including CK-MB.
C-Reactive Protein (CRP)
1. Use: A marker of inflammation in the body; can indicate infection or chronic inflammatory conditions.
Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR)
1. Use: Another non-specific marker of inflammation.
B-type Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) or N-terminal pro b-type Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP)
1. Use: Assists in diagnosing heart failure and assessing its severity.
Rheumatoid Factor (RF) and Anti-Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide (Anti-CCP)
1. Use: Used in the diagnosis and management of rheumatoid arthritis.
Autoantibodies
1. Use: Helps in diagnosing autoimmune diseases.
2. Examples: Antinuclear Antibody (ANA), Extractable Nuclear Antigen Antibodies (ENA), Anti-Double Stranded DNA (Anti-dsDNA).
Sex Hormones
1. Use: Assesses reproductive health and diagnoses conditions related to hormonal imbalances.
2. Components:
  1. Testosterone,
  2. Estrogens,
  3. Progesterone,
  4. Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH),
  5. Luteinizing Hormone (LH).
Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA)
1. Use: Screening and monitoring for prostate cancer.
Vitamin Levels
1. Use: Assesses deficiencies or excesses of vital vitamins.
2. Components:
  1. Vitamins B12,
  2. Vitamin D,
  3. Folate
Allergy Tests (Specific IgE)
1. Use: Identifies specific allergen sensitivities.
2. RAST stands for Radio-Allergo-Sorbent Test
Lactate and Arterial Blood Gases (ABGs)
1. Evaluates oxygenation, ventilation, and acid-base status;
2. Lactate is a marker of tissue hypoperfusion.
Drug Levels (Therapeutic Drug Monitoring)
1. Use: Monitors levels of certain medications to ensure efficacy and avoid toxicity.
2. Examples: Lithium, Digoxin, Antiepileptics.
Tumor Markers
1. Use: Assists in the diagnosis and monitoring of certain cancers.
2. Examples:
  1. CA-125 for ovarian cancer
  2. CA-19-9 for pancreatic cancer and other upper GIT cancer
  3. CEA for colorectal cancer,
  4. AFP for liver cancer
  5. PSA for prostate cancer
D-Dimer Test
1. Use: Helps to rule out the presence of an inappropriate blood clot (thrombus).
Blood Culture
1. Use: Detects presence of bacteria or fungi in the blood, used to diagnose sepsis or systemic infections.
Homocysteine
1. Use: Elevated levels can be a risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
Coeliac Serology
1. Use: Tests for antibodies typically present in coeliac disease.
Immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, IgM)
1. Use: Evaluates the immune system, particularly antibody production.
Blood Ketones
1. Use: Particularly important in diabetes management to detect ketoacidosis.
Parathyroid Hormone (PTH)
1. Use: Assesses parathyroid function and calcium metabolism.
Cortisol Levels
1. Use: Assesses adrenal gland function and can help diagnose conditions like Cushing’s syndrome or Addison’s disease.
Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG)
1. Use: Common pregnancy test, also used to monitor certain types of cancer.
Serum Protein Electrophoresis
1. Use: Identifies abnormal proteins in the blood, helps diagnose multiple myeloma and other conditions.
Serum Free Light Chains
1. Use: Important in the diagnosis and monitoring of multiple myeloma and related diseases.
Uric Acid
1. Use: Diagnoses and monitors gout and kidney stones.
HLA-B27
1. Use: Associated with certain autoimmune disorders, including ankylosing spondylitis.
Genetic Tests
1. Use: Used for diagnosing inherited diseases, pharmacogenomics, and cancer risk assessment.
Serum Osmolality
1. Use: Helps evaluate the body’s water balance and the concentration of solutes in the blood.
Urine Osmolality
1. Use: Helps evaluate the body’s water balance and conditions like SIADH and Diabetes insipidus

These blood tests are key tools in the diagnosis, monitoring, and management of a wide array of health conditions. It’s important to note that while these tests can provide crucial information, they should always be interpreted in the context of the patient’s overall clinical picture.