A Little Blood Never Hurt Anybody
Blood work isn`t just used to diagnose things such as HIV/AIDS, diabetes, anemia or coronary heart disease. It can also evaluate how well organs like your kidneys, liver and heart are working; determine whether or not you`re at risk for heart disease; and also check to see if medications you`re taking are properly working.
When you visit your doctor they may ask for a Complete Blood Count (CBC), the most common of all blood testing that`s done usually done as part of a routine check-up. Or they may ask for something specific such as a blood chemistry test, blood enzyme test or a blood test to assess your risk for heart disease, also known as a lipoprotein panel. If you have a family history of heart disease or exhibit factors to put you at risk such as being overweight or smoking your doctor may ask for the lipoprotein panel to be performed on an annual basis.
This week we are going to spotlight the different types of blood tests that laboratories run; what they determine and how they can benefit your overall health. After all, knowing what`s going on inside your body can be the first step in the right direction.
