Contents
Blood consists of cells (elements – leukocytes, erythrocytes, platelets, etc.) and plasma. Blood circulates through the vessels of the whole body and penetrates all organs and tissues, delivering nutrients and oxygen to them, regulates water-salt metabolism, participates in the regulation of acid-base balance, maintains a constant body temperature, and performs a protective function (presence of antibodies).
Why do you need a blood test?
Analysis of blood parameters is most important, since in a healthy person these indicators are relatively constant, any change in them is an indicator of changes in the human body.
How to take a blood test correctly?
As a rule, blood from a vein is used for analysis. Blood sampling occurs in the morning and on an empty stomach. If you need to donate blood at another time, you must refrain from eating for 3 hours. Juice, tea, coffee (especially with sugar) are not acceptable. You can drink water.
What will a general clinical blood test show?
A general blood test contains information on the number of indicators such as red blood cells, platelets, leukocytes (and their types), hemoglobin content, and color indicator.
General blood test indicators
Hemoglobin
Many blood diseases (including hereditary ones) are closely related to a violation of the structure of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a red pigment in the blood that carries oxygen to tissues.
Hemoglobin norm:
- Hemoglobin norm for men: 130,0 – 160,0 g/l
- Hemoglobin norm for women: 120,0 – 140,0 g/l
What does a change in hemoglobin norm indicate?
A decrease in hemoglobin norm is observed in various anemias and blood loss. An increase in the norm is observed with a decrease in the number of red blood cells, if the blood thickens.
Erythrocytes
Red blood cells are blood cells that are formed in the bone marrow and contain hemoglobin.
Red blood cell norm:
- Red blood cell norm for men: 4,0 – 5,0*1012/l of blood
- Red blood cell norm for women: 3,9 – 4,7*1012/l blood
What does a change in the red blood cell rate indicate?
A decrease in the number of red blood cells is observed with a decrease in bone marrow function, with changes in the bone marrow (leukemia, malignant tumors, etc.), with a lack of iron in the body, a lack of vitamin B12, and with bleeding.
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
This indicator is expressed in millimeters of plasma, which exfoliates within an hour.
ESR norm:
- ESR norm for men: 2-15 mm/h
- ESR norm for women: up to 10 mm/h
What does a change in the ESR standard indicate?
A change in erythrocyte sedimentation rate is not a sign of any specific disease. But, at the same time, the acceleration of ESR indicates that there is a pathological process.
Platelets
Platelets are blood cells that contain a nucleus. Platelets are involved in blood clotting.
Platelet rate
There are 1-180*320 platelets in 109 liter of blood. A sharp decrease is observed, for example, with Werlhof’s disease, with a symptomatic lack of blood clots.
leukocytes
White blood cells are colorless cells that engulf bacteria and dead cells and produce antibodies.
Leukocyte norm
The average number of leukocytes ranges from 4*109 to 9*109 in 1 liter of blood. An increase in the number of leukocytes may indicate certain infections, blood diseases, inflammation, malignancies, intoxication, allergies, and oxygen starvation. A decrease in the number of leukocytes can be observed with radiation injury, contact with chemicals, taking medications, viral bacterial infections, and diseases of the blood system.
Blood clotting indicators
Clotting time – the moment from blood contact with a foreign surface to the formation of a clot. Blood clotting time (according to Sukharev) is normal: 2-5 minutes.
If the clotting time is longer: significant deficiency of plasma factors, hereditary coagulopathy, disorders of fibrinogen formation, liver disease, heparin treatment.
If the clotting time is shorter: hypercoagulation after bleeding, postoperative and postpartum periods, stage I of DIC syndrome, side effects of contraceptives.
Bleeding time – its duration.
The Duke bleeding time norm does not exceed 4 minutes.
An increase in bleeding time is observed with severe thrombocytopenia and/or severe dysfunction (thrombocytopathies). It must be remembered that 60% of people with this pathology test negative, and the bleeding time is normal.
Biochemical analysis of blood
For many diseases, it is the main thing for making a correct diagnosis. These are diseases such as: pancreatic diseases, acute liver diseases, kidney diseases, heart diseases, many hereditary diseases, vitamin deficiency, intoxication, etc.
Reduced protein – protein starvation, inhibition of protein synthesis processes, in chronic diseases, inflammation, malignant tumors, intoxication, etc.
Blood sugar is an indicator of carbohydrate metabolism. Persistent increase in sugar – diabetes mellitus and other diseases of the endocrine system.
Increasing the amount of lipids and their fractions: in case of impaired fat metabolism, in case of impaired functional abilities of the liver and kidneys.
A sharp increase in the concentration of direct bilirubin is a characteristic sign of most liver diseases, with jaundice. With hemolytic jaundice, the concentration of indirect bilirubin in the blood increases.