Biochemistry in Blood Tests
Blood allows oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients, enzymes, and other products to be transported to all areas of the body. Blood has two main parts: plasma and blood cells. Plasma consists of about 91% water and the other 9% consists of plasma proteins. Plasma transports blood cells and acts as a conductor of heat.
There are three different types of blood cells: red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Red blood cells deliver oxygen through the red pigment in the cells called haemoglobin, white blood cells battle disease and infection in the human body by making anti-bodies, and platelets form clots prevent blood loss from the body. Platelets form clots when the body is injured; however, if clots form inside the body the clots can become dangerous.
Blood tests may be taken to test or confirm the presence of a disease of virus in an individual, to test the health of organs in the body to make sure they are functioning properly, to assess general overall health, check medication levels in blood, and to look for genetic disorders. Some common types of blood tests are full blood count, electrolyte, and blood glucose tests.
A full blood count (FBC) test is gives an overall view of a patient’s general health and is a universal standard taken when a patient visits the doctor or is admitted in a hospital. The amounts of the three types of blood cells will be counted and compared to normal values. The results can give a good indication of potential problem spots in the body.
A FBC could determine that a patient:
- Has anaemia due to a low level of red blood cells
- Has a potential health problem in part of the body indicated by a high amount of red blood cells
- Has a problem producing white blood cells which could indicate that there is a problem with the blood cell production in the bone marrow (conditions like Leukemia)
- Has a virus present in the body of the platelet count is low (viruses such as Rubella or Lupus)
An electrolyte test is used to measure levels of essential electrolytes in the blood. Electrolytes aid in moving nutrients into cells and removing waste products out of them, help maintain a healthy water balance in the body, and assist in maintaining levels of acid and alkali in the body. Electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and chloride are three types of electrolytes that are measured in a blood electrolyte test. Low levels of electrolytes can result in dehydration and kidney diseases. Blood glucose tests are used to diagnose diabetes and to monitor glucose levels of people who have already been diagnosed with diabetes.
Works Cited:
http://www.beo-lab.rs/en/biochemical-laboratory/biochemistry-blood-test/
Humanphisiology.wikispaces.com
allnaturalideas.com
I find this topic very interesting because it very cool how blood test can help doctor identify many diseases just from one examination. Moreover, from this post I learn that blood is a very complex tissue that power every organs in the body because every organs require oxygen and blood is the only tissue that have to deliver all these oxygen to different organs inside the body. What is the thing inside the blood stream that ensure the blood will travel in one direction? How does the Full Blood Count (FBC) test work? How do doctors measure the level of electrolyte inside a patient body?
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