Tests are often needed to make a correct diagnosis. The most informative of them is a general blood test. Its indicators make it possible to determine the presence of inflammation, anemia, a decrease in organ function and make it possible to identify many diseases at their initial stage. After all, blood is the main medium of the human body, and it is it that carries nutrients to the organs and removes metabolic products.
Usually, when a patient first seeks medical help, they make a general
blood test. Normal indicators of such an analysis indicate the proper functioning of all organs. To make the results more accurate, it is advisable to do the analysis in the morning, because after eating the composition of the blood changes.
What are the most important blood tests?
1. Hemoglobin.
It is hemoglobin that determines the red color of blood. It is important because it carries oxygen to the tissues of the body. Normally, the hemoglobin content should be at least 120 grams per liter for women and 130 for men. Hemoglobin is made up of protein and iron, which binds oxygen. With a lack of iron and blood loss, anemia occurs - a low level of hemoglobin. Most of all, the lack of hemoglobin affects
brain functioning. But the increased content of this substance also indicates the presence of disorders in the body. Most often it comes from dehydration, heart and lung disease.
2. Other important indicators of a blood test are the number and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. They are the carriers of hemoglobin, although its content in these cells may vary. An increase and decrease in their level indicates the same diseases as hemoglobin values. Sometimes the number of red blood cells may decrease after eating or at night. But the increase in their level is much more serious. This can be a sign of oxygen starvation, lung disease and cancer. Normally, the number of red blood cells should be 4-510 to the 12th degree per liter in men and slightly less in women. But much more important for determining the processes occurring in the body, the value of ESR - the erythrocyte sedimentation rate. It can rise with many diseases, most often with inflammation, as well as with cancer, anemia, heart attack, or blood diseases. ESR should be in a he althy man 1-10 millimeters per hour, and in a woman from 2 to 15. The rate can decrease with liver disease, blood clotting, starvation and a vegetarian diet.
3. When diagnosing, they also take into account such indicators of a blood test as a condition
leukocytes. These cells respond to infection, inflammation and provide immune protection. There are several varieties of them, and they react differently to diseases. Therefore, the analysis should take into account the state of all these cells: granulocytes, neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes and monocytes. The content of these cells is calculated by a special leukocyte formula. The total number of leukocytes should be from 4 to 910 to the 9th degree. An increase in the number of white blood cells can indicate infectious diseases, suppuration, inflammation, kidney failure, or a heart attack. Its decrease is observed after taking certain drugs, with tuberculosis, malaria, influenza, hepatitis and oncological diseases.
Another type of blood cell responsible for its clotting is platelets. An increase or decrease in their number can also indicate serious illnesses. But they pay attention to their number when it differs greatly from the norm. Therefore, these blood test values are not so important.
