Blood tests are essential to your overall health plan, even if they may not be the most enjoyable experience ever. Your doctor may learn a lot about your health from that tiny vial of blood. Your blood test results may adversely affect what you did in the hours prior, but it functions like a crystal ball. Accurate blood test results can help in understanding your body’s condition. Moreover, you can follow some practical tips to help manage your body’s conditions.
Doctors use blood tests to screen for certain illnesses and ailments, as the National Institutes of Health reminds us. Additionally, they aid in evaluating the efficiency of your therapies and your organs’ overall performance.
There are some specifications for the blood tests that the doctors conduct:
- Evaluate the functionalities of your organs
- Start diagnosing conditions and diseases like HIV/AIDS, cancer, diabetes, coronary heart disease, and anaemia.
- Check whether the medicines that you are taking work or not.
- Look at the accessibility of the blood clotting
- Evaluate the clotting quality of your blood.
What can you do to get fast and accurate blood test results?
The requirement to fast before a blood test is well-known to most individuals. To obtain the most precise results from your blood test, your doctor has good reason to advise against eating or drinking. The foods and drinks you consume absorb nutrients and other components into your circulation. This may affect variables assessed by specific tests. Accurate blood test results can be fast and crucial in managing body functions. Some blood tests include:
- Cholesterol test (total, HDL, LDL)
- Blood glucose test
- Triglyceride level test
How can alcohol affect your blood test results?
Overall, the doctors say drinking alcohol the night before should be fine with the findings of your blood test as long as you limit the alcohol intake to 1-2 drinks with digestion if you start fasting 12 hours before the test. But they could change if the panel with your liver enzymes. Asking your doctor is your best option, or say, “Don’t say anything” if in doubt you are starting accurate blood test results.
Acknowledging that specific over-the-counter and prescription drugs may affect your test outcomes is essential. Make sure your doctor is aware of any vitamin supplements you are taking. The following medicines may have an impact on the outcome of your test:
- Biotin-containing vitamin supplements may have an effect on lab testing for heart health.
- Urine protein and glucose levels are parts of the antibiotics.
- Herbal treatments may impact test results for therapeutic drugs.
- Urine protein and glucose levels are the common parts of antibiotics.
- Using steroids might increase your cholesterol levels.
- Tylenol can occasionally cause your blood sugar to rise.
It would help if you persisted in taking your prescribed drugs. If you need to discontinue any before your blood test temporarily, your doctor will inform you.
Blood Test Results and Medications
Speak with your doctor about any drugs you take before having a blood sample taken. This is the first guideline regarding medications and blood test results. For the person taking your blood to record it as well, you also need to say it to them. Until your doctor instructs you otherwise, you should never stop taking medication.
Although certain medications may alter the findings of blood tests, this does not always imply you should quit taking your medication. Your doctor can consider this while reviewing your results. However, steroids, for example, might raise your cholesterol levels. You should inform your doctor if you take any vitamins, supplements, or herbal medicines since these may impact the outcome.
Effects of Smoking on Blood Test Results
It would be best if you abstained from smoking for the most reliable blood test results. Research indicates that greater nicotine levels are slightly higher HbA1c levels in people without diabetes. Still, no significant clinical studies have yet been conducted on the impact of e-cigarettes on blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. In general, you should refrain from smoking if you get a fast introduction before your blood test.
A Routine of Blood Tests is a Good Idea
Doctors advise maintaining routine blood tests, even if you feel well. Doctors believe you may learn a lot about your health from the results of your blood tests. Your attention will be drawn to any issues by the results, or they could inspire you to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
Biological Factors
Your age affects the test’s findings, and the results might change as you go through different phases of life, such as puberty, menopause, or pregnancy.
Results that deviate from the normal range are more common in adults than younger adults. Even if there is little you can do about your age, knowing these things can help you concentrate on leading a healthier lifestyle.
The findings of a blood test may also impact your regular biological cycles. Compared to an evening blood test, testing in the morning might yield different conclusions. You must follow the plan since your doctor may advise you to try at a specific time of day.
Steps to Prepare the Blood Lab Test
Answering inquiries from your provider or lab expert is part of many lab tests. However, you should make some special preparations for others before the test. Fasting is a popular method of preparing for laboratory tests. It would help if you followed the whole night before the test, consuming nothing except water.
This is done because the bloodstream absorbs the nutrients and components in meals. This may impact the results of some blood tests. The period of fasting might change. Thus, if you must fast, be careful to find out how long is appropriate from your supplier.
Bottom Line
After knowing the factors that can help you start the test detection and blood checkup, you can book a full-count blood test. With the help of the factors, you can understand how to follow the full-count blood test. You have to deal with the tests on the functions in your body.
