A blood test is one of the most common and informative methods of primary diagnosis. Based on its results, one can judge the state of the organs, make, confirm or refute the diagnosis, determine the stage of the disease and adjust the prescribed treatment, determine the level of hormones for their further adjustment. A blood test, the types of which are known to all doctors, is carried out not only for those who are sick, but also for completely he althy people who undergo scheduled medical examinations once a year (in kindergartens and schools, at work, in the army). Therefore, there is probably no person in our country who has never encountered mysterious and slightly frightening figures in tables with analysis results.
Blood test: types
There are a huge number of different blood tests:
- Onhormones.
- For sugar.
- Allergen test.
- Immunological.
- For clotting.
- Oncomarkers.
- For confirmation of pregnancy and others.
To begin with, let's consider the two most common and at the same time incomprehensible analyzes for a simple patient:
- Biochemical.
- Clinical (General/Detailed).
Biochemistry
Before we know the norms of a biochemical blood test in adults, the table of which will be given below, let's figure out what it is for.
Referral to biochemistry is the same piece of paper that general practitioners give out daily in piles. It is prescribed according to the plan to each patient once a year to monitor the state of he alth and after any complicated illness, as well as to any person who is admitted to the hospital.
Blood is taken only from a vein (most often in the area of the elbow joint, but there are also options for sampling from veins on the hands, feet, lower legs) and always in the morning, on an empty stomach. After the procedure, the tubes are sent to a special laboratory. Test results are usually ready the next day.
Norms of a biochemical blood test in adults: table
| Indicator | Unit of measurement | Lower limit of normal | Upper limit of normal |
| Sugar/glucose | mmol/L | 3, 3 | 5, 5 |
| Urea | mmol/L | 2, 5 | 8, 3 |
| Non-protein blood nitrogen (residual) | mmol/L | 14, 3 | 28, 6 |
| Creatinine | micromoles/l | 44 | 106 |
| Common lipids | g/l | 4 | 8 |
| Cholesterol | mmol/L | 3, 6 | 7, 8 |
| Low Density Lipoprotein, LDL/LDL Cholesterol | mmol/L |
men: 2, 02 women: 1, 92 |
men: 4, 79 women: 4, 51 |
| High Density Lipoprotein, HDL/ HDL Cholesterol | mmol/L |
Men: 0, 72 women: 0, 68 |
men: 1, 63 women: 2, 28 |
| Atherogenic coefficient | 0 | 3 | |
| Triglycerides | mmol/L |
men: 0, 61 women: 0, 45 |
men: 3, 62 women: 1, 99 |
| Phospholipids | mmol/L | 2, 51 | 2,92 |
| Bilirubin | µmol/liter | 8, 5 | 20, 55 |
| Protein | g/l | 65 | 85 |
| Albumin | g/l | 35 | 50 |
| AST (aspartate aminotransferase) | IU/L | 10 | 38 |
| ALT (alanine aminotransferase) | IU/L | 7 | 41 |
| Gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase | µmol/L |
men: 15 women: 10 |
men: 106 women: 66 |
| Alkaline Phosphatase | IU/L | 20 | 140 |
| Calcium | mmol/L | 2, 15 | 2, 50 |
| Potassium | mmol/L | 3, 5 | 5, 5 |
| Sodium | mmol/L | 136 | 145 |
| Chlorine | mmol/L | 98 | 107 |
| Iron | µmol/L |
men: 11, 64 women: 8, 95 |
men: 30, 43 women: 30, 43 |
Due to the economy in our district hospitals, doctors often do not consider it necessary to send patients for a generally accepted complete analysis, and then some types of biochemical blood tests are formed, on the directions of which only some characteristics will be highlighted.
For example, if a patient complains of liver problems, blood will be taken from him for bilirubin (total) and total protein, albumin, alanine aminotransferase, gamma-GTP, C-reactive protein, alkaline phosphatase.
If a doctor suspects that a patient has diabetes, he will first of all undergo a biochemical study for sugar (glucose) to confirm or refute the assumption.
Patients are all different and an experienced doctor, if there are direct symptoms of the disease, will not waste the patient's money and hospital resources in vain. Indeed, it is not at all necessary to conduct a complete general blood test several times a year, without special indications.
CBC
This is the name of a blood test, the types of which must be carried out only on an empty stomach (regardless of whether blood is taken from a finger or from a vein).
Today, measurements in this study are carried out automatically, on special hematology analyzers.
The main indicators of a clinical blood testare:
- Hemoglobin is a component of an erythrocyte that transports oxygen to tissues and organs. A decrease in the amount of hemoglobin leads to tissue oxygen deficiency. The norm for women is 120-140 grams / l, for men - 135-160 grams / l.
- Leukocytes (quantity). Leukocytes are blood cells whose main function is protection from microorganisms, antigens, and tumor cells. Norm: (4 - 9)109/l.
- ESR is an indicator of pathology in the body. In women, up to 12 mm / h is considered the norm, for men - up to 8 mm / h;
- Hematocrit - red blood cells. If the hematocrit is elevated, erythrocytosis or leukemia may be suspected. If lowered - anemia, hyperhydration, pregnancy. The norm for women is 0, 360-0, 460 l / l, for men 0, 400-0, 480 l / l;
- Erythrocytes (quantity). An increase in the number of red blood cells can indicate blood clotting, neoplasms, kidney disease. Reduction - about blood loss, anemia, pregnancy, etc. The norm for men is (4-5, 15)1012 l, for women - (3, 7-4, 7)10 12 l.
What else can a blood test show
To answer the question of what blood tests are, you must first understand what blood is and what it is for.
Blood is the tissue of the body, consisting of plasma (fluid) and cells (leukocytes, erythrocytes and platelets). It circulates through the vessels under the action of heart contractions and nourishes all organs of the human body.
Blood is necessary for a person in order to:
- Carry carbon dioxide from tissues to lungs and oxygen back.
- Deliver nutrients to tissue cells.
- Regulate body temperature.
- Transfer waste and harmful substances to the kidneys and lungs for their subsequent removal from the body.
- By transferring hormones, connect all organs and systems;
- Provide protection for the body.
- Ensure consistency within the body.
- Ensure the work of the organs, giving them tension from the heart.
Thus, we understand that the composition of the blood can talk about many problems in the body: about violations in the work of each of the systems, each organ of the human body. It is only necessary to take a blood test in time, the types of which the doctor will select, and solve this riddle.
Thyroid hormone
Now, almost every fifth inhabitant of our large country can find some kind of malfunction and disturbance in the thyroid gland. If the doctor suspects changes during the examination, the patient will be referred for an ultrasound (ultrasound) examination of the thyroid gland, as well as a blood test for TSH (for the amount of thyroid-stimulating hormone). After all, disturbances in the work of this organ lead to infertility, libido disorders, problems with mental work, accelerates and aggravates the course of any infectious and inflammatory process in the body.
Indications for blood donation for the amount of thyroid hormone
They are:
- Living in an iodine-deficient area.
- After any surgical treatment.
- For problems with conceiving and bearing a child.
- When using hormonal birth control (TSH control once a year).
In case of previously identified disorders in the functioning of the gland, to control the course of the disease and select medications.
Aberrations in this analysis may indicate problems such as:
- Hypothyroidism (low thyroid function).
- Hyperthyroidism (increased gland function).
Small deviations from the norm detected in time are amenable to excellent medical correction, and serious and late detected pathologies may require surgical treatment. In the event that a patient is found to have an excess of thyroid-stimulating hormone, he is prescribed an ultrasound of the thyroid gland and, most likely, lifelong hormone replacement therapy.
Tyrotropic hormone norm
To clarify the diagnosis and control the course of the disease, a detailed blood test for TSH is prescribed, which includes:
- Free T3 (a hormone that is responsible for oxygen metabolism). Norm - 2, 6-5, 7 pmol / l.
- Free T4 (a hormone responsible for protein metabolism). Norm - 9-22 mmol/l.
- Antibodies to the thyroglobulin protein (to rule out diseases of the autoimmune system). Norm - up to 18 units/ml.
It is important to stop taking alcohol, hormonal contraceptives and other drugs before taking blood for TSH hormonesproducts containing hormones. It is also necessary to limit physical activity and give up drinking for a day.
Blood clotting
It happens that during a routine medical examination or during the test, a violation of blood density is accidentally detected. If this violation was detected during a biochemical analysis, the therapist will give a referral for an additional blood coagulation test. What is the name of it scientifically you need to remember - coauhologram.
Also indications for analysis are:
- Signs of prolonged bleeding, bruising even from slight pressure.
- Upcoming operation.
- Diseases of the heart, liver, blood vessels.
- Pregnancy.
- Reduced immunity.
Coagulation analysis includes a large set of indicators:
| Indicator | Norma |
| Prothrombin index | 12-20 sec. |
| APTV | 38-55 sec. |
| Plasma fibrinogen | 2.0-3.5g/L |
| Thrombin time | 11-17, 8 secs |
| Plasma recalcification | 60-120 sec. |
| Heparin tolerance | 3-11 mins |
| Blood clot retraction | from 44% to 65% |
If a person is assigned a blood clotting test, you can not remember what it is called. Each patient is given a special referral, which will indicate the time, name of the study and the necessary requirements for its conduct, depending onsuspected diagnosis:
- From a finger, material is taken to assess capillary blood clotting.
- Venous blood is taken from a vein to evaluate venous blood.
This analysis, like many others, must be taken on an empty stomach.
Analysis for female hormones
Good hormonal background is an important condition for the normal functioning of the whole organism. It is he who depends on normal sleep, good he alth, the ability to do physical work. A study of the hormonal background is necessary for women with the appearance of such symptoms:
- Insomnia.
- Weight gain or drastic weight loss.
- Menstrual irregularities.
- Irritable.
When hormonal imbalance occurs, women develop problems in terms of the he alth of the reproductive system (including fibroids, cysts, polycystic diseases), mental disorders, obesity/emaciation, menstrual disorders or cessation, infertility, male type of hair growth on body and more.
So, a blood test for female sex hormones includes:
- Follicle Stimulating Hormone.
- Prolactin.
- Luteinizing hormone.
- Estriol.
- Progesterone.
- Follicle Stimulating Hormone.
- DHEA sulfate.
It is worth remembering that the level of many hormones varies significantly, depending on the stage of the cycle, so you must carefully follow the doctor's instructions before donating blood. Any analysis for hormones is always taken on an empty stomach, 1-2 hours after waking up.
Men'ssex hormones
- Testosterone.
- Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate.
Analysis for male sex hormones can be prescribed to both a man and a woman. The thing is that it is androgens that are responsible for attraction (libido) in both women and men. Specifically, testosterone also affects the functioning of the sebaceous glands, muscles, and brain.
An analysis of the amount of androgens for both men and women is taken any day in the morning on an empty stomach.
