9 Things Every Adult Should Know About Blood Tests

Doctors recommend that we carry out blood tests periodically to detect the presence of any health problems. A set of basic tests such as blood sugar level, thyroid function, calcium levels and hemoglobin tests should be done at regular intervals to see if health is being affected. Generally, labs tend to diagnose results according to age, family history, and lifestyle.

O awesome.club highlights some points that doctors and laboratory technicians usually do not report, but which we should be aware of.

With the omnipresence of the Internet, we have before us an open window to the world and knowledge at hand. But there is one area where not much progress has been made, which unfortunately we cannot address online. We’re talking about blood tests. Experts do not recommend that patients compare their results with data obtained from the Web, as they can differ greatly from one person to another. This becomes especially clear when we want to compare test results performed by men and women.

For example, what is a normal blood picture for men may not be for women. It is estimated between 5 and 6 million cells per microliter for a man, and between 4 and 5 million cells for women, before they are in menopause.

If you are among those who are afraid of needles, we have great news. A new invention is about to be launched on the market. It is a needleless device. that will replace the traditional method of blood collection. It should be made available soon.

With the novelty, you will be able to collect your own blood in the comfort of your home. It does not require the supervision of a healthcare professional, all that is needed is to place the device on the arm. It will draw the required amount of blood, taking about the same amount of time as it takes during a conventional blood test.

They say “no news is good news”. Some physicians, in particular, seem to believe this maxim. Sometimes, when your blood test results are OK, doctors and nurses may not want to bring the information to you. However, there may be a small chance that the analysis results are not what you want.

Therefore, it is important that you ask your doctor to compare the results of previous tests with recent ones to determine if there is any difference, whether positive or negative.

Most laboratories make this very clear, but it never hurts to remember: many blood tests require you to be fasting. Depending on the type of test being performed, the person may need to avoid eating for a few hours before the blood sample is taken. Generally, an 8 to 12 hour fast is required. However, confirm this information with your physician or laboratory technician.

It is also recommended not to smoke, chew gum or exercise before a blood test that requires fasting.

You don’t have to worry about the amount of blood collected by the laboratory. Many tests require a larger amount of blood, which is why more is drawn. You may have noticed that each sample tube has a cap that is a different color than the others. It’s just that each color means something.

Some blood sample tubes have anticoagulant agents inside so that the blood does not clot. Some have preservatives, others must be kept at room temperature, while others need to be frozen. There are few tests that require a single sample.

As many people know, there are differences between blood test results according to age. Therefore, what is normal varies from adults to children. For example, among children, normal hemoglobin levels are lower: 11 to 13 grams or deciliter (g/dl), higher for adults: 13.5 to 17.5 grams or deciliter (g/dl ), and 12 to 15.5 grams or deciliters (g/dl) for adult women.

Similarly, cholesterol and calcium levels change as a person ages, and tolerated levels vary with age.

Do not consider all positive blood tests to be good or negative ones to be bad. Just as wrong pregnancy tests happen, the results could also be wrong. Sometimes there is a virus that only shows up in the blood test a little later. Therefore, doctors advise to repeat the exams again if the symptoms of the disease persist.

For example, if someone was infected with the hepatitis C virus a few months ago, tests may show nothing. But the symptoms may be there. False positives, on the other hand, are common in HIV tests. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, in any community, 1% of people are infected with HIV, and about 2 out of 10 tests are falsely positive.

The issue here is that each laboratory has its own references for the tests they perform. They depend on blood collected in the past and its results. Based on this, reference standards are established for the different blood tests.

Not to mention that there may be differences between test results due to the time of day the blood was collected. Something specific you may have eaten before also has the potential to affect results.

Not all blood test results are affected by any pre-existing conditions. On the other hand, even eating something sugary or drinking the night before can affect your glucose levels the next day.

Thus, it is better to consult a doctor before undergoing any blood tests. The doctor will say whether or not a certain disease will affect the result.

Do you know about other myths involving blood tests?

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