Category Archives: Lab Results
Lab Results:Electrolytes
Electrolytes: These are your potassium, sodium, chloride, and CO2 levels. Potassium is controlled very carefully by the kidneys. It is important for the proper functioning of the nerves and muscles, particularly the heart. Any value outside the expected range, high … Continue reading
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Lab Results
If you’ve had laboratory tests performed, you may have been given a copy of the report by the lab or your health care provider. Once you get your report, however, it may not be easy for you to read … Continue reading
Filed under Diagnosis, Family, Lab Results, Treatment
Lab Results: Urinalysis
Urine tests are typically evaluated with a reagent strip that is briefly dipped into your urine sample. The technician reads the colors of each test and compares them with a reference chart. These tests are semi-quantitative; there can be some … Continue reading
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Lab Results: Complete Blood Count
The CBC typically has several parameters that are created from an automated cell counter. These are the most relevant: White Blood Count (WBC) is the number of white cells. High WBC can be a sign of infection. WBC is also … Continue reading
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Lab Results: Hormones
Insulin: Insulin is secreted by the pancreas in response to eating or elevated blood sugar. It is deficient in persons with type 1 diabetes and present at insufficient levels in persons with type II diabetes. The natural evolution of type … Continue reading
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Lab Results: Thyroid
There are 2 types of thyroid hormones easily measurable in the blood, thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). For technical reasons, it is easier and less expensive to measure the T4 level, so T3 is usually not measured on screening tests. … Continue reading
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Lab Results: Minerals & Proteins
Calcium is controlled in the blood by the parathyroid glands and the kidneys. Calcium is found mostly in bone and is important for proper blood clotting, nerve, and cell activity. Elevated calcium can be due to medications such as thiazide … Continue reading
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Lab Results: Cardiac Risks Factors
C Reactive Protein (CRP): This is a marker for inflammation. Traditionally it has been used to assess inflammation in response to infection. However we use a highly sensitive C Reactive Protein which is useful in predicting vascular disease, heart attack … Continue reading
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Lab Results : Blood Fats
Cholesterol is a fat-like substance in the blood which, if elevated has been associated with heart disease. Total Cholesterol: High cholesterol in the blood is a major risk factor for heart and blood vessel disease. Cholesterol in itself is … Continue reading
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Lab Results: Enzymes
AST, ALT, SGOT, SGPT, and GGT and Alkaline Phosphatase are abbreviations for proteins called enzymes which help all the chemical activities within cells to take place. Injury to cells releases these enzymes into the blood. They are found in … Continue reading
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