Blood test

What are the different types of Blood Tests?

The blood test, also known as blood work, is performed as a part of multiple diagnostic procedures. It provides details about the blood constituents, which indicate a patient’s health. 

Blood tests are done during regular check-ups and in specific diagnostic processes. It is a marker of diabetes, high cholesterol, blood infections, leukaemia, clotting abnormalities, HIV, nutrient deficiencies, and many other health-related problems. It can also mark the efficiency of ongoing treatment by analysing the body’s immune response. 

When should you get your blood work done?

  • As a part of a regular check-up
  • If abnormal bodily symptoms are present
  • In case the disease has a family history. 
  • You want to optimize your lifestyle according to the risk factors involved, for example, cutting down extra calories or fats from your diet to control cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
  • When a doctor prescribes the test as a part of the diagnostic protocol

Blood tests require special pathology lab software, but it is not that time taking. Collection of samples takes only 10-15 minutes, and you can get the results in 24-48 hours, depending upon the type of blood test. You must be wondering if blood tests are also of different types, so the answer is yes! Here we will discuss the different types of blood tests performed in the pathology labs through pathology lab software. 

pathology lab software
pathology lab software

Different types of blood test 

1. Complete blood count (CBC) 

This type of blood test gives a quantitative analysis of blood constituents. It gives the amounts of RBC (red blood cells), WBC (white blood cells), platelets (cells responsible for blood clotting), haemoglobin (a protein associated with RBCs which carries oxygen to the cells and takes away carbon dioxide from the cells) and haematocrit (percentage of blood made up of red blood cells). A fluctuation from commonly accepted values could indicate anaemia, leukaemia, suppressed immunity, or other blood-related disorders.

  • Basic metabolic Panel (BMP) 

Basic metabolic panel checks for the following nutrients in blood-

  • Calcium
  • Potassium
  • Sodium
  • Glucose
  • Bicarbonate
  • Chloride
  • Blood urea nitrogen

Abnormal levels can indicate the patient’s chances of diabetes, nutrient deficiencies, hormonal imbalance, and kidney-related issues.

3. Coagulation Panel

Blood clotting is an essential property of our body that prevents excessive blood loss. But it has also been proved to be dangerous if internal blood clotting blocks the veins and arteries. Therefore, coagulation Panel tests are performed to keep a check on platelet functioning. It is also known as the prothrombin time test or fibrinogen activity test. Abnormal results can be obtained in haemophilia, liver conditions, leukaemia, and vitamin deficiency cases. 

4. Thyroid Panel 

The test is also known as the thyroid function test. The thyroid gland secretes the thyroxine hormone and responds to the T3 and T4 hormones. These tasks, when combined, guarantee that the body functions properly. Blood tests are done to check thyroid functioning in patients with thyroid growth disorders, abnormal levels of steroidal hormones, or low protein levels.

5. Lipid Panel

Our body’s cholesterol is classified into healthy (HDL-high density lipoprotein) and harmful (LDL-low density lipoprotein). A patient with an increased level of bad cholesterol is at high risk of heart disease due to blockage in blood vessels. Therefore lipid panel blood work is performed to check the status of cholesterol in a patient’s body. If a doctor diagnoses you with high blood cholesterol, he will recommend medicines. 

6. Liver Panel

It is also known as a comprehensive metabolic panel. The doctor checks the functional liver proteins and substances like albumin, bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and aminotransferase. Diseases like hepatitis, cirrhosis, liver cancer, liver damage, and heart issues are diagnosed using liver Panel tests.

7. Sexually transmitted infection test

Diseases that transmit sexually like HIV, herpes, syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhoea can be diagnosed with blood work. Many doctors suggest blood tests if a person is doubtful of a sexually transmitted infection. Although the accuracy of blood tests is questionable and follow-up tests are always done before confirming anything. 

Takeaway

All these blood tests have their procedures, and some of them even require fasting for 7-8 hours before the test, like in BMP and lipid panel tests. Fasting eliminates any variations in the blood constituent levels due to food supplements. One should always go for a blood test once a year to eliminate any risk of diseases. Senior citizens can opt for it once in six months to check their metabolic conditions.