Mountwood Surgery - Blood Test Form Explained

Your blood test form explained

1. Patient Details	Make sure your name, date of birth & address have been written accurately. Our computer system will only allow the results to be entered into your records once it has exactly matched your details.
2. Clinical Details	In this space the doctor writes your clinical details which informs the laboratory as to why certain tests have been requested.
3. Date & Time of specimen	This is important for the laboratory as blood not analysed in time can give incorrect results.
4. High Risk	The laboratory needs to identify blood samples from patients suffering from hepatitis and HIV as these samples need to be handled with extra care.
5. Full Blood Count	Measures the haemoglobin (the main test for anaemia) as well as the size of red cells and types of white cells. It also measures platelets which are responsible for helping blood clot particularly when there is a cut on the skin.
6. ESR	ESR stands for erythrocyte sedimentation rate. It is a general measure of inflammatory activity in your body. It therefore rises during infection, arthritis flare-ups and other conditions.
7. Paul Bunnell Test	A test for Glandular Fever.
8. Reticulocytes	Reticulocytes are immature red cells. Their levels increase when the bone marrow is active (e.g after blood loss) and their levels decrease in diseases which interfere with bone marrow production.
9. Clotting Tests	Measure different clotting systems of blood. They are used for patients who develop excessive bruising or for those on warfarin or heparin.
10. Sickle Test	Screens for the inherited trait/condition common in Afro-Caribbeans.
11. Hb Electrophoresis	Screens for other blood traits/conditions such as thalassaemia.
12. Red Cell Folate and (13) Serum Vitamin B12 & Ferritin	Anaemia is usually caused by a lack of one of these so these tests are often done in those found to be anaemic.
14. Pregnancy Test	Because of the delay in results reaching us, most opt to use over-the-counter tests that are just as accurate.
15. Semen Analysis	Used as part of infertility testing and for checking after vasectomy
16. RF, (17) DNA, (18) ANA, (19) ENA	These tests are for screening for immune related conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, scleroderma and other rare conditions.
20. Thyroid Antibodies	Are positive in those with Graves disease and other inflammatory thyroid conditions.
21. Liver/Gastric Antibodies	These include hepatitis screening and H-Pylori test (stomach infection). Other antibodies check for rare liver and gastric immune conditions.
22. Cardiolipin Antibodies	May be positive in patients with lupus and very rarely in some who get recurrent thrombosis or miscarriages.
23. Coeliac Screen	Is a screening test for the condition that damages your small bowel d causes malabsorption- leading to weight loss in adults and poor childhood growth.
24. ANCA and (25) Islet Cell Antibodies	Further immune screening tests.
26. Electrolytes & Kidney Function	Checks level of sodium and potassium - the main ts of the blood. Urea and creatinine measure the effectiveness of kidney filtration.
27. Liver Function Tests	Measure bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, alanine linotransferase (ALT) and gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT). These are enzymes produced by the liver. As well as disease many medicines can interfere with liver function.
28. Bone	Measures mainly calcium, phosphate and alkaline phosphatase. Levels can be normal in bone diseases like osteomalacia as well as cancer affecting bones.
29. Creatine kinase	Levels tend to rise in muscle damaging conditions.
30. HbAlC	Is an important test in diabetics, as it measures sugar control over 3 months.
31. Albumin	Is a protein in the blood. It can be low if not enough is made (undernourishment) or when it leaks out of the kidneys (in nephrotic syndrome) or the gut (in colitis).
32. Immunoglobulin	Test checks for immune status & rare conditions like myeloma.
33. Lipids	Measure HDL(healthy if high), LDL(unhealthy if high), total cholesterol & glycerides levels(unhealthy if high).
34. Glucose level	Checks for diabetes.
35. TFT	Measures thyroid T4 (thyroxine) and TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone).
36. FSH, (37) LH, (38) Prolactin, (39) Progesterone and (40) Testosterone and (41) Oestradiol	Hormone tests useful for diagnosing menopause, checking fertility, investigating breast discharge and checking for rare hormone-producing tumours.
42. Digoxin, (43) Carbamazepine, (44) Phenobarbitone, (45) Phenytoin(Epanutin), (46) Lithium, (47) Theophylline and (48) Valproate (Epilim)	Levels need to be checked regularly as levels have to be kept within a range to avoid side effects (if levels get too high) or reduced effectiveness (if levels get too low).
49. OTHER TESTS	We have at our disposal, a variety of other tests not mentioned above as the aim here is for you to become familiar with the commonest blood form given.

	Further information is available at www.labtestsonline.org.uk