Blood tests, Laboratory tests, Blood analysis in the laboratory, Blood analysis, Laboratory, Complete blood tests

Blood tests

Blood tests are necessary tests both for normal periodic examinations and for diagnostic studies when the general practitioner and therefore the specialist deem it necessary.
Blood tests are an important diagnostic tool when a medical question needs to be investigated. At the same time, they are useful for knowing the general state of a person's health.

So, let's see what are the main laboratory tests that require a blood sample, how to behave before and after the sample, and when it may be required.

Laboratory analyses

• Laboratory tests or blood tests are laboratory tests that allow you to know the main blood components through a venous blood sample.
• This type of analysis is required by your doctor for diagnostic purposes, before a specialist visit, or to determine a person's health status.
• In fact, blood allows us to obtain important information about the subject's health and body conditions.
• So, let's see how to behave before and after a withdrawal and what are the most important analyses.

Blood analysis in the laboratory

• In the days before the test, it is important to continue your usual lifestyle in order not to distort the analysis.
• Diet restriction or, conversely, more of it risks distorting the results and influencing the physician's clinical judgments.
• What should not be done before blood analysis in the laboratory?
• It is recommended not to eat, drink or smoke for about 8-12 hours before the test.
• The only exception is water, which must be taken in limited quantities: a maximum of two glasses in the hours immediately before the exam.
• Physical activity that should be avoided 12 hours before the analysis: can affect the results of various values. After that, medication should be stopped.

Blood analysis

A small amount of blood, usually a few milliliters, is taken from a vein in the arm. The operation takes a few minutes and is performed by a nurse.

After that, the place where the needle is inserted is disinfected, a tourniquet is placed at the beginning of the arm and the needle is injected. Then the transfer of blood into one or more tubes begins. After the extraction is complete, the patient is asked to hold a small cotton swab in the hole left by the needle, and after a few minutes the wound heals.

The blood, stored at room temperature, is then analyzed in a laboratory using electronic instruments that take two readings of the values and give the final result, the arithmetic mean of the two measurements.

Laboratory

There are no specific instructions on what to do after the blood sample, this is a very common procedure that does not involve special problems. After taking a blood sample in the laboratory, the patient may feel pain in the arm, mild.

• However, some simple precautions should be taken immediately after shooting:
• extend the arm and hold the hand open for a few minutes
• apply a cotton swab with light pressure to the sampling site
• Do not make any effort with the affected arm in the minutes after the puncture.
• After sampling, the hematoma can be maintained with Arnica-based ointments.
• When should blood tests be done?

The analyzes to be performed are varied and examine different parameters according to needs. It is always the attending physician who determines the sample as a routine analysis or if specific problems arise that require further investigation.

Therefore, we begin with a metabolic frame of reference, then delve deeper into any questions that may arise with additional clinical and instrumental studies.

Complete blood tests

• Complete blood tests are used to evaluate the patient's state of health and, in addition to highlighting the general picture, allow to evaluate the functionality of systems and organs.
• Complete blood tests always require a doctor's prescription.
• What does a complete blood count show?
• To get a basic overview, it is useful to check the function of the bone marrow, liver, kidneys, thyroid gland and then monitor the levels of triglycerides, cholesterol, blood sugar, calcium and iron.
• First, a complete blood count with formula and platelets should be done, which includes:
• the number of red blood cells (RBCs) that contain hemoglobin
• the level of hemoglobin (Hb), an oxygen-carrying protein
• hematocrit levels (HCT), the percentage of blood cells in total blood
• mean hemoglobin (MCH)
• Other useful blood tests
• They can also be implemented:
• Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), aspartate aminotransferase (GOT-AST), alanine aminotransferase (GPT-ALT), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), protein electrophoresis
• Triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol
• Glycemia, Azotemia, Creatininemia, Uricemia, Calcemia, Sideremia
• Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (F-T3), free thyroxine (F-T4)
• For completeness, it is possible to add a complete urine test, chest x-ray and ECG.

What blood tests are used to detect cancer?
Searching for Tumor Markers through blood chemistry tests is currently more useful for assessing response to Oncology Treatments when tumor diagnoses and their relative altered values are present.

While waiting for the full recovery of the neoplasm, even if there are instrumental examinations, after the decrease or increase of the changed values of the markers, it allows a preliminary evaluation of the response to ongoing treatments.

The contribution of markers is more limited in the field of Prevention or Early Diagnosis: they do not yet have 100% specificity and sensitivity, but are relatively low, and the neoplasm does not always express detectable markers. Markers can also be altered for other reasons, such as in inflammatory conditions.

Changing their values, even if it is not noticeable, leads to the investigation of the causes with further diagnostic research. Sometimes the tumor can be asymptomatic for a while, then it can be detected by altered values of markers, as in the case of PSA for prostate cancer.

Relatives of patients with a history of cancer often ask to check the status of markers. Currently, the most commonly used markers for male patients are:

• CEA
• Alpha-fetoprotein
• CA 19-9
• Total PSA
• Beta 2 microglobulin.
• For female patients:
• CEA
• Alpha-fetoprotein
• CA 19-9, CA 15-3 and CA 125.
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Cost of blood tests

A complete blood test with basic analytes costs on average 40. The price of blood analysis. The package for monitoring the metabolic profile includes triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, creatinine, blood sugar, AST (GOT), ALT (GPT), which costs about 15 Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (F-T3) and thyroid tests such as free thyroxine (F-T4) measurements total about 30

Hemophobia: what to do in case of fear of withdrawal
Hemophobia is the fear of seeing blood, and it can also cause fainting when taking a blood sample. It can also be manifested by sweating, trembling, dizziness, pallor, nausea.

A very reliable way to try to counteract the symptoms of blood test anxiety is to clench your fist tightly during the blood test. For those who cannot control their fear of blood tests, taking a blood sample while lying down can sometimes be helpful.