All Blood Tests

Sugar is an important source of energy, especially for the brain. The amount of glucose in the blood is carefully controlled by the endocrine (glandular) system. This system causes sugar to be stored or used for energy, depending on the needs of your body. The blood glucose test is performed to monitor the level of glucose in the blood and hence detect both hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia, which helps in the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus.

The several different types of blood glucose tests performed are as follows:

Fasting Blood Sugar Test (FBS) measures the level of glucose in the body, 8 hours after the last meal. It is the first test performed to diagnose diabetes. The normal range for people with no diabetes is lower than 100 milligrams of glucose per deciliter of blood (mg/dL). If the level of glucose in the blood is between 100 mg/dL and 125 mg/dL, this indicates that the patient has a condition known as prediabetes. In such scenarios, the tests are repeated on regular periods and dietary restrictions are suggested to the patient. However, if the level of sugar exceeds 126 mg/dL, then the patient is diagnosed with diabetes.

Random Blood Sugar Test (RBS) measures the level of glucose in the body at any point of time. If the level of sugar is between 140 mg/dL and 200 mg/dL, the patient is diagnosed with prediabetes. If the level of sugar exceeds 200 mg/dL, then the patient is diagnosed with diabetes.

Oral Glucose Tolerance Test is performed to diagnose Gestational Diabetes which occurs during pregnancy. It is the process of taking a series of blood glucose measurements after the patient drinks a sweet liquid that contains a high quantity of glucose. A normal blood sugar level after an oral glucose tolerance test is lower than 140 mg/dL. If the blood sugar level is 140 mg/dL to 199 mg/dL then the patient is diagnosed with prediabetes.

Glycated Hemoglobin Test (A1C) is not performed to diagnose diabetes. Rather, it helps evaluate as to how well a patient is managing diabetes. The A1C test reflects the average blood sugar level for an average of two to three months. The test results show as to what percentage is the hemoglobin sugar coated (glycated). The normal range for people with no diabetes is 4 to 6% while the patients with diabetes are requested to maintain the A1C level to less the 7%. However, if the level is greater than 7%, then the patient may need to change the diabetes treatment plan.

The above tests are performed by a laboratory on the blood sample obtained from you. The results are obtained in a few minutes. Glucose levels in urine also can be measured. Many people with diabetes have glucose in their urine. However, the level in the blood must be very high before glucose can be detected in the urine. For this reason, tests for glucose in urine are not used to diagnose or monitor diabetes.

Diabetics must monitor their own blood glucose levels, often several times a day, to determine how far above or below normal their glucose is and to determine what oral medications or insulin(s) they may need. This is usually done by placing a drop of blood from a skin prick onto a glucose strip and then inserting the strip into a glucose meter of a blood sugar tester, a small machine that provides a digital readout of the blood glucose level.

It is important to remember that test results are only a part of a larger picture that has to include your medical history and current health. In case the test results do not return a normal result, it is imperative that you take immediate action and consult a diabetic specialist right away who can guide you with the right treatment and dietary plan.

Sleep apnea (apnea: Greek for “without breath”) is a sleeping disorder where a subject frequently stops breathing during sleep. Because the subject is unaware of these breathless episodes and because waking, symptoms are vague: daytime grogginess, headache, and dry throat, the subject rarely feels the need to check with a physician. Family and friends are who usually report the problem. Sleep apnea’s outward symptom is loud and excessive snoring. Though the symptoms are indistinct, the consequences of undiagnosed sleep apnea can be life-threatening hypertension and cardiovascular disease. To diagnose the disorder requires a sleep apnea test.

The optimal sleep apnea test is polysomnography, (PSG) performed in a sleep lab. PSG consists of observing the patient overnight during sleep, monitoring sleep state, heart rate, breathing, blood oxygen levels, eye movement and muscle activity. In normal adults during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, the muscles of the throat and neck are relaxed, allowing the tongue and soft palate to relax as well. In sleep apnea, these tissues relax so much that they can reduce and/or block the airway (often the source of snoring). Blood oxygen levels drop, the brain arouses the body enough to breathe, waking the patient shortly, but rarely to full wakefulness. These breathless episodes are called apnea events. The results of this sleep apnea test: the number of apnea events, how long each event lasts, blood oxygen level, percentage of sleep spent in REM, snoring, etc., allows the physician to diagnose the disorder and its severity.

Conducting a sleep apnea test via PSG in the sleep lab is an important diagnostic tool, but has drawbacks. First, the patient is asked to sleep in an unfamiliar environment. Secondly, the patient is connected to multiple wires and to multiple monitors. Lastly, other people are watching the patient. Thus, the patient often does not sleep well.

To help alleviate the awkwardness of sleeping in a lab, a similar type of sleep apnea test can be performed at home. In addition, a type of PSG, a monitor records heart rate, how air moves in and out of the lungs, the blood oxygen level, and the effort required to breathe. For this sleep apnea test, a technician goes to the home and hooks the patient to the electrodes. The patient goes to sleep as usual, and the technician returns the next morning to retrieve the monitor and send the results of the sleep apnea test to the patient’s physician.

Another home sleep apnea test system, recently approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) is the Watch_PAT100 by Itamar Technologies. This test consists of a fingertip probe and a wearable wrist unit. Both devices are placed on the wrist and finger just before going to bed. During sleep, the system measures blood oxygen saturation levels, changes in blood flow and pulse rate. The signals are recorded onto a memory card. The memory card can be removed by the physician and then downloaded into a computer for analysis. Comparable to polysomnography, this device is still being evaluated.

When talking about diabetes, chances are we know a lot of people who have diabetes. Young, old, children, adult. Here we will discuss the symptoms of adult diabetes.

Diabetes is often associated with ‘insulin’. Insulin is the hormone that the pancreas glands produce. It is responsible for the glucose in the body. The blood sugar rises when the pancreas produces no insulin or little insulin. It may produce insulin but it is not enough for the body, therefore there is a deduction in its effectiveness.

Symptoms that an adult has diabetes are closely linked to the body’s inability in making insulin. The effects are extremely devastating. If the body does not produce insulin, it can result an irregularity in the body and this also affect the person’s emotions. Those who have high glucose and blood sugar levels in their body are not aware of the symptoms. That’s why they put more risks in their body. Diabetes can affect anyone of any age. It is treated by changing the diet and the use of medications.

There are two kinds of diabetes affecting the body’s glucose production. Type 1 Diabetes is when the body does not make the required insulin amount. When this happens, glucose which is the root of all physical energy, builds up in the person’s blood stream. Normally, these are utilized. Therefore, the high blood levels of glucose in the person’s body cause the major symptoms of the disease known as adult diabetes.

In Type 2 Diabetes, the body cannot use the insulin that it makes which leads to high glucose blood levels. Those who have Type 2 diabetes already have this condition building up for some time but it is only at this given point that the body had become impaired and could no longer tolerate too much glucose. In the early stages of Type 2 Diabetes, the pancreas loses its capability to produce glucose which will then increase in the blood stream. Those who are obese and are inactive have more chances of getting Type 2 Diabetes. In general, people over thirty years old are the target of this ailment.

Other symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes include tiredness or fatigue, frequency in urinating especially at night, a stomach that is always upset, therefore vomiting and experiencing nausea. There is also a heightened appetite despite the weight loss. For women, there is an interruption in the menstrual cycle.If Type 2 diabetes has been ignored for a period of time, people who have it may get tingling sensations in their fingers or toes. They will also notice some circulatory problems.

When an individual is diagnosed with Type I or Type II diabetes, he would have to address his high glucose levels in the blood stream as soon as possible. For those who have Type I diabetes, immediate medical attention is necesssary in order to regain control of the ailment.

Scientifically speaking, the glucose levels are measured through the blood samples which are obtained when the following tests are done.

1. Random glucose test wherein the glucose levels are brought in randomly on two incidences. If the statistic is way beyond 11.1 mol per liter, then the diagnosis is possibly diabetes.
2. Fasting glucose test wherein glucose levels are measured overnight. Above 7.0 mol per liter results equate diabetes.

Sometimes one blood sample is enough to check whether you have diabetes. However, if the results are still unclear after all these tests have been done, you can ask your doctor to conduct a glucose tolerance test. Here, you are given a glucose drink that contains 75g of glucose, which is the standard amount. They also take blood samples before you are given the drink. You may have the results the following day because the test is finished overnight.

If the glucose level is way up 11.1 mol per liter, then you have diabetes. But if it is below 7.8 mol per liter, you have nothing to worry about.

It is hard to when a loved one is suffering from the disease. As soon as a member of your family is showing the symptoms mentioned above, consult with a doctor as soon as possible. Just like any disease, prevention is better than cure. Try to balance your diet as much as possible. It also helps to get up and do some exercise whenever you can. We advise that you conduct monitoring and periodic testing of your blood sugar levels. This alone will give you a heads up if you are a likely candidate for adult diabetes.

As soon as the symptoms of adult diabetes that have been mentioned here have been experienced, then immediately consult your physician.

Self blood glucose monitoring (SBGM) is the method of choice in monitoring glycaemic control. Its implementation in the early 1980s into the treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM) has enabled patients to keep track on their blood glucose concentration at any moment. It is highly recommended for patients on DM management with insulin. This is also desirable for diabetic patients who are on oral anti-diabetic.

Owing to its relatively affordable cost and ease in handling, SBGM has provided a more effective management of DM. However, the frequency of blood glucose testing depends on the glucose status, goals and mode of treatment.

For example, a frequent SBGM (usually 4 or more times daily) has helped in achieving near-normal blood glucose concentration and ability to detect hypoglycemia (low blood glucose level), particularly for Type 1 diabetic patients with multiple insulin injections or pump therapy. In the case of Type 2 DM, the optimal frequency of SBGM is unresolved. Nevertheless, it should be sufficient in helping to reach the glucose goals after consulting with your doctor.

It has opened a door of opportunity of self-care where patients can now take part in their own health management. Consequently, it is easier to approach a therapeutic and effective DM management by delaying the progress of DM complications (macrovascular and microvascular complications).

Although home blood glucose monitoring do not show significant deterioration of HbA1c and reduction of body weight as outcome measures, most diabetic clinicians are still advised that SBGM is to be a part of educational strategy to promote self-care. This is because such monitoring can provides information on the effects of therapy, diet and physical activity.

Anyway, patients must be empowered to involve themselves in their therapeutic regimen by changing their lifestyle and medications in response to test results. Without this, no meaningful change is likely to be effected in DM management and thus SBGM can only be a wasteful implementation especially the money spent on the strips used for testing blood glucose.

1. What is type II diabetes?

Diabetes Mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by chronically elevated blood glucose levels (hyperglycaemia), and abnormal metabolism for carbohydrate, fat and protein. Diagnostic criteria for diabetes are based on oral glucose tolerance test results. People with fasting blood glucose level >= 7.0 (mmol/L), or 2-hour random blood glucose level >= 11.1 (mmol/L), are classified as having diabetes.

Type II diabetes is usually associated with insulin resistance and progressive impairment of insulin response. This is a silent chronic disease which may present for years before detection.

The prevalence of type II diabetes has more than doubled over the last two decades, and approximately 275 Australian adults now develope diabetes every day.

2. What are the risk factors for type II diabetes?

There are many risk factors for the development of diabetes including:

Family history

Certain at-risk ethnic groups including Pacific islanders, Greek and Chinese background, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descendants

Obesity

Sedentary lifestyle

Poor diet

Aging

Hypertension

Dyslipidermia (unhealthy blood lipid profile)

Metabolic syndrome

3. What are the key symptoms and signs?

In most cases, the onset of type II diabetes is insidious, and is diagnosed on routine testing. See your doctor if you experience the following symptom/s:

Increased thirst

Increased urination

Increased appetite

Fatigue

Blurred vision

Slow-healing infections

Impotence in men

4. How is diabetes managed?

It is important to understand the consequences of diabetes and the associated complications, which may include long-term damage or dysfunction and failure of vital organs and tissues. Diabetics are more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease, visual loss, amputation and renal failure (decline in kidney function).

The long term management for diabetes is metabolic control and prevention of complications. Management of type II diabetes involves education, medication, diet and exercise to control blood sugar, with lifestyle change as the basic initial approach to help prevent and manage diabetes.

The focus for managing diabetes is to improve glycemic control and cardiovascular health:

Improve blood glucose level: fasting glucose level <5.5 mmol/L, and 2-hour postprandial (after meal) glucose level <7.0 mmol/L

Decrease insulin resistance

Improve blood lipid profile

Decrease blood pressure

Maintain an ideal healthy weight

5. What is the Glycemic Index and why low-GI diet is important?

Glycemic Index (GI) is used to measure the rise and fall in the level of glucose that occurs in your bloodstream after a carbohydrate food is ingested. GI value rank carbohydrate foods based on their immediate effect on blood sugar level on a scale of 0-100.

GI value <55 is low GI

GI value between 56-69 is medium GI

GI value >70 is high GI

Foods with low GI values contain carbohydrates that are digested and absorbed more slowly, thereby result in a moderate increase in blood glucose levels. The NHMRC dietary guideline for reducing chronic disease risks has recommended that carbohydrate intake should fall between 45% – 65% of your daily energy intake; and it should be predominantly from low energy density and/or low GI foods. It is important to note that the types of carbohydrates consumed are of paramount importance in relation to their health effects.

There are a lot of pregnancy test kits available nowadays, and though all of them have the same use (which is to determine whether or not one is pregnant), they vary in the level of human chorionic gonadotropin they detect in the urine. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a hormone which the body produces only when pregnant and increases as the pregnancy progresses. Thus, it is not common to get a false negative result when hCG levels in the urine may not be detected yet or pregnancy may still be too early to be detected by pregnancy test kits.

Home pregnancy tests are actually comprised of a chemical strip which detects hCG in the urine, a urine dropper and may, but not always, include a container where to put urine. These test equipment come properly labeled and with complete instructions to boot. Using the dropper, urine is then placed onto the chemical strip. It usually takes a minute or two before the results are shown. The reliability of the results depends on proper usage and proper timing. Your menstrual cycle and how early you are in your pregnancy also determines your results. Generally, it is recommended that women who think they might be pregnant must wait to use home pregnancy tests until the first day of their missed period. Those who test too early, hence, still having low levels of hCG may get a false negative result. Remember that on the average, women produce 25 miu of hCG after 10 days of conception while most tests can only detect 50 to 250 miu of hCG.

Pregnancy test kits are widely available and easily acquired. These tests are also used in doctors’ offices and other healthcare facilities aside from the pregnancy blood tests that they usually employ.

Pregnancy Blood Tests

If you can’t wait until after your missed period, then you can visit your doctor and opt for a pregnancy blood test. Pregnancy blood tests are more accurate than home pregnancy tests since they may detect even trace amounts of hCG, even as early as 10 to 12 days after ovulating. It is a simple procedure which involves drawing blood from your arm which is then tested for hCG.

With the sky rocketing costs of health care, there are some common sense things you can do to reduce the costs of your overall health care. We all lead very busy lives, but we need to take the time out of our day to look at those cryptic statements we get from the health insurance provider to understand what they are really saying. All too often, we accept that written statement as the “last word” on the subject, when we should be actually disputing the coverage amount that the health insurance company paid on a specific claim. Let’s look at an example to illustrate this point. You go to your doctor for a checkup and he wants to run some blood tests on you. Ok, that makes sense, you have not had a blood test run in a few years, so let him do it. Several weeks later, you get a statement in the mail from your health insurance company saying that the total cost of the blood test procedure, including the drawing of the blood, the tests, and the analysis of the results cost $500. Next you note that the health insurance company is trying to make you feel better by noting that they covered $300 of that cost, leaving you with a balance of $200 to be paid to the doctor or the clinic that did the blood test work. Wait a minute, where in your health care insurance policy does it say that for this type of procedure, they are only going to cover 60% of the cost? Chances are that you will find no such statement if you go over every word of your policy with a fine tooth comb. What happens with far too many people is that they simply sigh and write out a check to the doctor’s office for that $200 and don’t think about it again. Except they WILL think about it again the next time the doctor suggests a blood test, when they will decline the doctor’s suggestion, and perhaps miss something important that could be a sign of an oncoming serious illness. What you should do is contact your health insurance company and request a written explanation for why they are only covering 60% of this medical procedure. They owe you an explanation since you are a policy holder with them. Request that the claim be reviewed again by the health insurance company since you do not agree at all with the outcome they have determined. They are obligated to do this for you. The outcome of such a dispute is going to be one of several. It may make no difference at all. Or the health insurance company may strike a deal with the doctor’s office or clinic that the charge should have been only $350 instead of $500, and the insurance company still pays $300 of it, leaving you with only a $50 balance. Such disputes are requested every day, so it should come as no surprise that you are disputing it with them. If the health insurance company holds a solid line on the claim and refuses to adjust it, it may be time to be looking for a different health insurance company for you and your family. This industry is far too competitive to allow yourself to be stepped on like this, and you can vote with your wallet by going to a different company. You have hundreds of options to choose from. But if you switch companies, make sure that you understand what is covered and how much of it is covered with the new company. Since you already have health insurance coverage, you can take your time and make sure of all the details before you make the switch. You may also want to keep your existing insurance and supplement it with secondary coverage, which starts to take effect where the first one leaves off in terms of the total balance due out of your pocket.

Finding out if you have a normal cholesterol reading is as easy as having your doctor give you a simple blood test. Knowing whether or not you have high cholesterol is important if you want to avoid the many life threatening complications of artery and heart disease. There are two ways your doctor will look at such a test; total blood cholesterol and the ratio of good to bad cholesterol.

High density lipoproteins (HDL) are the good cholesterol while the bad is known as low density lipoproteins (LDL). HDL’s primary purpose is to remove the bad LDL from the blood stream and send it to the liver where it is removed from the body. High LDL levels create plaque build up in the arteries leading to coronary artery disease, a risk factor for heart attacks. These plaques can also cause a stroke if they break free and get lodged in the brain.

To obtain your total cholesterol reading your doctor will combine the total amount of HDL and LDL as well as look at your triglyceride levels. This will quickly tell your doctor if you need to make some changes to lower your blood cholesterol levels. Your doctor will also look at the total LDL levels because high levels of these are a serious health risk.

When you get a cholesterol test your doctor will look at the numbers based on the following criteria.

1. Normal Cholesterol Readings – Your total level should be below 200 mg/dl with an LDL level lower then 130 mg/dl. If your readings are in this range your risk for heart disease and stroke from cholesterol related problems is very low.

2. Borderline-High – If your total level is 200-239 mg/dl or an LDL level of 130-159 mg/dl you are in the borderline-high range. If you get test results in this range your doctor will recommend that you make dietary changes and start exercising to help bring your levels down. Lifestyle changes are usually all that are needed to reduce cholesterol in this range.

3. High Cholesterol Reading – Total readings above 240 mg/dl or total LDL above 160 mg/dl are considered high. If your test levels come back in this range your risk of life threatening complications are high. Changes to your diet and an exercise program will be mandatory and if your doctor deems it necessary you will be given a prescription for a cholesterol lowering medication.

Your doctor may also look at the ratio between the good HDL and the bad LDL. He or she will divide your total cholesterol by the HDL total to obtain this ratio. If it is more then 4 your test readings are to high and steps will need to be taken to lower them.

Finding out if you have normal cholesterol readings is vitally important to your overall health and well being. If you haven’t had your levels checked ask your doctor if you can get tested. The sooner you know the sooner you can take steps to reduce the risk if your results are high.

Surprisingly, there are handfuls of dog owners who have the wrong perception about DNA breed testing for mixed dogs. As a result, it is extremely difficult to get along with your dog as it keeps disobeying your orders. It is time to clarify the common myths that widens the gap between you and your pet.

Myth 1: Collection of your pet’s DNA were obtained from blood test

This is untrue. Basically, collection of your dog’s DNA involves painless and hazardless procedure in which means it does not require any blood samples. It only involves cheek swabbing in which the dog owner collects cheek cell from his dog by using a small brush-like DNA collection kit. Then, you will send the collection to DNA testing lab for dog breed analysis.

Myth 2: This particular breed test can track down your mixed-breed dog’s ancestors.

In this case, DNA testing is currently used as a genealogical tool to trace one’s ancestors and verify their relationship. However, breed test like these could only identify your dog’s breed based on established database and results are categorized into three main categories – Primary, Secondary and In the Mix. This particular breed test is strictly meant for mixed-breed dogs and it is not meant to use as a purebred and paternal verification test.

Myth 3: This particular test is meant for mixed-dogs from all around the world.

Unfortunately, this particular breed identification tool is sold only in the U.S. and Canada. It was developed and validated using United States dog breed populations. Breeds that are not from United States and Canada may not be represented or identified by this current breed identification tool.

Blood thinners are considered to be one of the most Dangerous medications on the market today. Many believe that the blood thinner known as “rat poison”is the cause of many deaths each year. What I believe, and know, may shock you. The information I will provide to you is in no way meant to replace the advice of your physician. I am not suggesting you change any instructions from your doctor. The information I will share with you is to EDUCATE you on things you NEED to understand to take better control while being managed on a blood thinner.

People are placed on blood thinners for a “number” of different reasons. Some such as DVT’s, PE’s, Afib, mitral valve replacement, stroke, etc. This is a medication that is most times referred to as a “blood thinner” because in a sense that is exactly what it is used for. If a blood thinner is “used” correctly AND “managed” correctly there is a very low probability of any serious conditions occurring. The problem is: if one of these elements ARE NOT done correctly – serious conditions can occur.

I have independently managed over 600 patients so I am quite aware of how serious this medication can be. If a person is educated on the medication itself and the seriousness of not following instructions, they can actually Enjoy their life as they did before. Many doctors offices are Not equipped for managing oral blood thinners. Why do I say this? Blood thinners require “attention and time management”, which many physicians just dont have. Doctors are bombarded with many different issues and situations that require their attention, therefore, the proper attention is not given to the patient taking a blood thinner. Is this an excuse for the doctor? Absolutely not. If a physician is NOT able to devote the time and effort necessary in managing a patient, he/she should refer the patient to someone who can. This could be, which is the best choice if available, to an anticoagulant clinic.

Education is “required” for the patient. Many patients are discharged from the hospital with inadequate information about taking a blood thinner, or they are started on one in a physician office and are not given the proper instructions. Both of these can cause “serious” complications. Blood thinners are probably one of the most important medications when started, that REQUIRE specific instructions. If Doctors and Patients understood this, the amount of deaths related to this medication will decrease! I honestly believe that we are “blaming” the Drug and the Drug Company because we are unwilling to place the blame “many times” where it belongs. As I have stated earlier: if the Patient or the Doctor does not fully understand the importance of managing this medication – serious complications Can And Will occur.

Spending 15-20 minutes with a patient who is started on a blood thinner and “walking” them through the steps in managing their medication is of the utmost importance. Teaching the patient that “testing” is Required on the exact day specified is essential. Following up with the patient in a “timely fashion” – is Mandatory. Patients should be given the: Date they need to have their blood work done, they should receive their results that day or the next day at the latest, they should also be given instructions on what dose to take and the next scheduled blood test date. Patients should be instructed to WRITE ALL this information done and record their doses along with their results and next scheduled follow up. Teaching a patient to take CONTROL will teach them the importance of taking this medication. These steps are very important!

Doctors offices need to make sure their staff is properly trained on managing anti-coag patients. That means, they need to understand what ranges the patient is to be kept in, what their diagnosis is, and how to properly start someone on a blood thinner and to teach the patient the steps given above. If and when, we actually hold ourselves accountable for treating and managing these patients, I truly believe we will see a difference in the complications that exist today. I encourage you to start to take this medication “seriously”. Patients should not have to live in fear while taking this medication.

If You are starting on blood thinner or even if you have been taking it for awhile now, I invite you to educate yourself. You may want to look up Coumadin Forum – it is on the Topix website and join in with many members who are educating themselves on what “they” and “their doctors” should be doing. Education is a must for taking for anyone taking a blood thinner. From Physicians to Patients – take control and do you part and YOU WILL enjoy your life.

Perhaps you would like more detailed information on what you need to know if you are taking a blood thinner. You will find it here: http://healthinu.wordpress.com

Here is to YOUR Health!!

The Best Resource for the Person who wants to take control of their Health in Easy, Understandable steps!

You are also invited to ask your questions to find out more about these topics. Your Health is My Concern. Teaching you ways to take control of your Health is why this Blog has been created. I hope you find it helpful and useful in your Every Day lives.