Regular blood tests can not only assist your doctor in determining the underlying cause of physical complaints, but they can also spot possible issues at an early stage, allowing for prompt treatment. Each year, a full panel blood test is performed to collect information that may be compared to data from earlier tests to determine how your health has changed over time. If your doctor has scheduled a full panel blood test you can book an appointment with us today to see how you can do this from the comfort of your home.
What a Full Annual Blood Panel Typically Includes
| Panel | Tests Included | Screens For |
|---|---|---|
| CBC | RBC, WBC, hemoglobin, hematocrit, MCV, platelets, differential | Anemia, infection, leukemia, clotting disorders |
| CMP | Glucose, BUN, creatinine, electrolytes, liver enzymes, albumin | Diabetes, kidney disease, electrolyte imbalance, liver disease |
| Lipid panel | Total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides | Cardiovascular disease risk |
| HbA1c | Glycated hemoglobin % | Diabetes and prediabetes (3-month average) |
| TSH | Thyroid-stimulating hormone | Hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism |
| Vitamin D | 25-hydroxyvitamin D | Deficiency (bone health, immunity, fatigue) |
| Ferritin / iron | Serum ferritin, serum iron, TIBC | Iron-deficiency anemia (ferritin is the earliest marker) |
Tests in a Full Panel Blood Test
When you go for a full panel blood test, they will probably perform the following tests. Find out the different components of these tests and why they might be ordered.
Complete Blood Count
During a routine complete blood count (CBC), 10 different components of cells— like white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets—are measured. This test can show nutritional problems like vitamin B6 or B12 anemia (iron deficiency), clotting issues, blood cancer, infections and autoimmune diseases.
Basic Metabolic Panel
This test checks the levels in chloride, sodium, potassium, calcium, glucose, and bicarbonate, plus creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). This can show problems with hormone imbalances, diabetes and your kidneys.
Comprehensive Metabolic Panel
This includes all BMP measures as well as other proteins and substances that are connected to liver function, like albumin, total protein, and the following: Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), (a liver and bone-specific enzyme involved in a number of physiological functions). An enzyme called alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (present in the liver). An enzyme called aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (present in the liver and other bodily tissues). And finally, Bilirubin (which is a byproduct of the decomposition of red blood cells that the liver filters out of the body.)
Lipid Panel
We examine two categories of cholesterol in this test. HDL, also referred to as “good” cholesterol and LDL, also referred to as “bad” cholesterol. Because it helps the liver convert dangerous compounds into waste, HDL is considered “good” cholesterol. LDL is “bad” because it raises your risk of heart disease by encouraging the buildup of plaque in your arteries.
Thyroid Panel
In your neck sits a little gland called the thyroid. It assists in controlling biological processes like your mood, amount of energy, and overall metabolism. A thyroid panel, often known as a thyroid function test, measures the efficiency with which your thyroid produces and responds to various hormones, including the Triiodothyronine (T3). This regulates your body temperature and heart rate in conjunction with T4. Thyroxine (T4) which controls your metabolism and how you grow in conjunction with T3. The thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) which influences how much hormone your thyroid produces.
Cardiac Biomarkers
Proteins known as enzymes aid your body in carrying out specific chemical activities, such as breaking down food and clotting blood. Your body uses them for numerous essential processes. Abnormal enzyme levels can detect different conditions.
Typical enzymes examined include the CK, creatine (CK). This enzyme is mostly found in the heart, skeletal muscle, and brain. Growing levels of CK are released into the blood when muscle injury occurs. Also, CKM-B creatine kinase (CK-MB). The heart contains these enzymes. After a heart attack or other heart injury, they frequently become more prevalent in your blood. And Troponin. This heart enzyme can seep into your blood as a result of heart damage.
STI/STD
A blood sample can be used to identify many sexually transmitted diseases (STIs). For more precise diagnoses, these tests are sometimes paired with urine samples or swabs of affected tissue.
Blood tests can be used to identify chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, HIV, and syphilis, etc. Blood tests taken immediately after contracting an infection are not usually reliable. For an HIV infection, for instance, a blood test might not be able to find the virus for at least a month.
Coagulation Panel
After a cut or trauma, clotting is an important process that aids in stopping the bleeding. However, a blood clot in an artery or vein can be fatal because it can stop blood from reaching your heart, lungs, or brain. A heart attack or stroke may result from this. Coagulation tests measure the effectiveness and speed of your blood’s clotting. Prothrombin time (PT) and fibrinogen activity tests are two examples.
The outcome of a clotting test depends on your general health and any underlying diseases that can impair clotting. This test’s outcomes can be used to determine whether the following are present: leukemia hemophilia, thrombosis, liver disorders and vitamin K deficiency.
DHEA-Sulfate Serum Test
Your adrenal glands produce the hormone dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Using this test, you can determine if it’s too high or too low. Low levels of DHEA are deemed abnormal in men, and can affect the development of features like body hair growth in men. High levels might lead to the development of characteristically masculine characteristics in women, such as excessive body hair.
Low levels can indicate Addison’s disease, adrenal dysfunction, hypopituitarism. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), benign or malignant tumor on the adrenal glands, and ovarian tumors can also cause these high or low levels in men and women.
C-Reactive Protein Test
When body tissues are inflamed, your liver produces C-reactive protein (CRP). Increased CRP levels are indicative of inflammation resulting from various factors, such as viral or bacterial infection, autoimmune illnesses, (like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis,) diabetes-related inflammation, and inflammation brought on by physical trauma or by bad habits like smoking, and cancer.
The Takeaway
A regular full panel blood test is the best way for your doctor to ensure you are healthy year after year. This test looks at all the important factors that help your body stay in tiptop shape. If you have further questions about what this test involves, you can reach out to our team. Or if your doctor has scheduled you for these tests, we can help you when you book an appointment with us today. Our team can come to the comfort of your home or office, so you don’t have to wait around for your appointment in labs or offices and risk getting sick.
*This content is for informational purposes only and is not meant to replace consulting with a healthcare professional. Please consult with your primary care physician or healthcare provider before engaging in any services offered by Speedy Sticks.
**These are approximations, and experts disagree on some values. Consult your healthcare provider for recommendations suitable for you. It is also important to ensure the levels are given in the same measurements, such as mg/dL, etc.
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