The 10 most important Blood Tests one should get done frequently

Inputs by: Dr. Angeli Misra (M.B.B.S., M.D. (PATH.) and Founder of Lifeline Laboratory)

The following are some of the important blood tests that everyone and anyone should get done to maintain proper health and avert health problems.  

1.    Complete Blood Counts (CBC):- The CBC gives the picture of the blood cells in the body. Hemoglobin levels tell us about the oxygen carrying capacity of the body. The total white blood   cell count and the differential count indicate whether the body is suffering from any infections and gives an indication of immune function. It also can help diagnose some blood malignancies. ESR also gave some indication of some diseases.

2.    Lipid Profile: – The lipid profile estimation is important for all ages. It gives information regarding the ratio between the good and bad cholesterol (LDL). Higher the levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides, higher the chances of the blood vessels getting clogged and person suffering    from heart attack or stroke.

3.    Liver Function Test:-Liver is an extremely vital organ in the normal functioning of the body.  Estimation of the liver function is important for maintaining a healthy body.

4.     Kidney Function Test:-The kidney is the organ that excretes the waste from the body. The kidney functions are estimated for assessing the capacity of the kidneys.

5.    CRP,hs :- The C ‘Reactive Protein’ highly sensitive tells us if there is any kind of inflammation  going on within the system. High levels of hs-CRP is known to be associated with stroke and heart attack.

6.    Fasting Blood Glucose and Postprandial Glucose: – More and more people are becoming diabetic early in their lives. The estimation of the glucose levels helps to diagnose diabetes early and help to control it and prevent its complications.

7.    HBA1C:- One of the best ways of assessing the blood glucose for the last 2-3 months is HBA1C.It is also an independent indicator of heart disease and stroke with or without diabetes. In diabetes is important to maintain the levels of the HBA1C to prevent complications of diabetes.

8.    TSH-Thyroid Stimulating Hormone: – Secreted by the master gland or the pituitary gland it controls the functioning of the thyroid gland. The Thyroid gland is important for the normal functioning of all organs in the body.

9.    Vit D levels: – Not only is Vitamin D important for bone functioning, its role is now known in immunity. The levels of this Vitamin helps to avert many diseases.

10. Vitamin B12 & Folic Acid: – Both these vitamins of the B group of vitamins are important for the function and division of each and every cell in the body including the blood cell. It is important to maintain these levels to avoid health issues.