At times, we need to check our vitals and the functioning of different organ systems to ensure that everything is working according to the standards or not. For this, a routine clinical checkup becomes mandatory.
At a certain age, a person needs to be careful about his health and take necessary measures to keep lifestyle diseases away. Medical professionals often suggest checking the vitals and functions by going through certain common tests performed by the technicians. Here is what a list of such common lab tests looks like.
5 Common lab tests for a routine checkup
- Thyroid panel
The human body is no less than an efficient biological machine. Over the years, the functioning of the different organs, especially the hormone-producing ones slow down. As the thyroid gland is an important part of the system. It should be checked by performing a simple blood test. This test is called the thyroid function test (TFT).
In this test, a blood sample is drawn to check the levels of the hormones in the bloodstream of a person. These thyroid hormones are:
- Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) – It is the master thyroid hormone that regulates the levels of other hormones produced by this gland.
- Thyroxine (T4) – It regulates the metabolism of your body and the growth rate of a human being.
- Triiodothyronine (T3) – It regulates our body temperature and heart rate.
The results of this test will depict the current condition of the gland and will help the medical professionals to make the next move if any anomaly is found.
- Essential nutrient levels
This is an excellent blood test designed to check the human body is getting and maintaining the proper nutrition level from the food consumed. The different requirements of the human body are met through a proper diet. Hence, it can be checked whether the body is efficient enough to assimilate all the nutrients properly or not.
On the other hand, this test can also check whether the levels of certain important nutrients such as vitamins, iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, etc are proper or not. In most cases, this test is performed to check the vitamin D and B12 levels. The results of this test will explain the deficiency in the person.
This test can ensure proper diagnosis of nutritional deficiencies and can help medical professionals prescribe the right supplements. Moreover, it can also bone density problems, vitamin deficiency, kidney damage, reasons behind fatigue, lethargy, dental health risk, low extremity functions, etc.
- Prolactin test
Prolactin is a hormone secreted by the pituitary gland, a pea-sized master gland present closer to the medulla oblongata of the human brain. It produces many other hormones that maintain the functioning of various organs in human physiology.
The level of prolactin tested in the bloodstream can deliver the ideal results to check whether the person is suffering from prolactinoma or not. It is a type of cancer developing in the pituitary gland. This test is also conducted to check the causes of menstrual irregularities in female patients. A Prolactin test is performed to check the reasons behind infertility in women, lower libido and erectile dysfunction among men.
- Complete metabolic panel (CMP)
This test should be done annually at least once when we reach a certain age. This complete test enables us to monitor our electrolyte status, hydration status, liver function, kidney function, blood cell values, etc.
The results generated from this test will help medical professionals to check whether someone is suffering from anaemia, blood clotting issues, hidden infection, etc. It is also done to understand the vitals of the human body. It is prescribed to patients who are suffering from liver inflammation.
- D Dimer test
This is a unique test prescribed by medical professionals when anything abnormal is witnessed in the blood clotting process of a patient. This test is performed to check whether the patient is suffering from a specific blood clotting disorder that can lead to deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
D dimer test is also done to check whether a person is suffering from a pulmonary embolism or not. When a blood clot travels in the bloodstream and deposits in the lungs, it causes pulmonary embolism (PE). This test is also done to check whether a person is suffering from disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). It is a case where numerous blood clots have formed inside the body due to trauma or infections.
Wrapping up
Apart from these common blood tests, there are many other tests performed annually or at regular intervals based on the condition of a patient. These tests generally check for the markers that indicate the presence of the development of particular diseases.
Based on the current medical condition of a person, doctors recommend going for particular tests on a regular basis just to keep an eye on the vitals. It helps the person to identify the changes he needs to make in his lifestyle. It also enables doctors to diagnose an ailment way before it becomes chronic and design a proper treatment or management plan. Hence, this list of tests is important for a person to perform once a year.
