What is the normal range for a potassium blood test. How is the test interpreted. Why is potassium important for the body. What factors can affect potassium levels. When should a potassium blood test be performed. How is the test conducted. What are the potential risks and side effects of the test.

Understanding Potassium and Its Role in the Body

Potassium is a crucial electrolyte and mineral that plays a vital role in maintaining the body’s water and electrolyte balance. It is essential for proper nerve and muscle function, making it a key component in various physiological processes. But what exactly does potassium do in our bodies?

Potassium works in tandem with sodium to regulate fluid balance within and outside cells. When sodium levels increase, potassium levels typically decrease, and vice versa. This delicate balance is further regulated by aldosterone, a hormone produced by the adrenal glands.

• Helps maintain proper fluid balance
• Supports nerve function
• Aids in muscle contraction
• Regulates heart rhythm
• Assists in blood pressure control

Many foods are rich in potassium, including bananas, orange juice, spinach, and potatoes. While a balanced diet usually provides sufficient potassium for the body’s needs, certain conditions or medications can disrupt this balance, necessitating regular monitoring through blood tests.

The Importance of Potassium Blood Tests

Potassium blood tests are crucial diagnostic tools used to assess the levels of this vital electrolyte in the body. But why are these tests so important?

Abnormal potassium levels, whether too high (hyperkalemia) or too low (hypokalemia), can have serious health implications. These imbalances can lead to symptoms such as muscle cramps, weakness, nausea, diarrhea, frequent urination, dehydration, low blood pressure, confusion, irritability, paralysis, and even life-threatening changes in heart rhythm.

When Are Potassium Blood Tests Recommended?

Healthcare providers may order potassium blood tests in various scenarios:

1. To monitor patients on diuretic medications or undergoing kidney dialysis
2. To evaluate the effectiveness of treatments for potassium imbalances
3. To assess kidney function in patients with high blood pressure
4. To monitor electrolyte levels in patients receiving total parenteral nutrition (TPN)
5. To check for cell lysis syndrome during certain cancer treatments

Normal Range and Interpretation of Potassium Blood Test Results

Understanding the normal range for potassium blood tests is crucial for interpreting results accurately. What is considered a normal potassium level in the blood?

The normal range for potassium in the blood typically falls between 3.5 to 5.0 millimoles per liter (mmol/L). However, it’s important to note that each laboratory may have slightly different reference ranges. Your healthcare provider will interpret your results based on the specific lab’s range, as well as your age, overall health, and other factors.

Interpreting High Potassium Levels (Hyperkalemia)

High blood potassium levels (above 5.0 mmol/L) can be caused by various factors:

• Kidney damage or injury, preventing normal potassium excretion
• Conditions that cause potassium to move from cells into the blood (e.g., severe burns, crushing injuries, heart attacks, diabetic ketoacidosis)
• Excessive intake of potassium supplements
• Increased blood acidity (pH)
• Certain medications, such as aldosterone antagonists and ACE inhibitors

Interpreting Low Potassium Levels (Hypokalemia)

Low blood potassium levels (below 3.5 mmol/L) may be attributed to:

• High levels of aldosterone (hyperaldosteronism)
• Severe burns
• Cystic fibrosis
• Alcohol use disorder
• Cushing’s syndrome
• Dehydration
• Malnutrition
• Persistent vomiting or diarrhea
• Certain kidney diseases, such as Bartter’s syndrome

Factors Affecting Potassium Levels in the Body

Numerous factors can influence potassium levels in the body. What are the primary contributors to potassium imbalances?

Kidney function plays a crucial role in regulating potassium levels. The kidneys are responsible for excreting excess potassium, so any impairment in kidney function can lead to potassium accumulation in the blood.

Blood pH also affects potassium levels. Acidosis (increased blood acidity) can cause potassium to leak from cells into the bloodstream, raising blood potassium levels. Conversely, alkalosis (decreased blood acidity) can lead to potassium moving into cells, lowering blood potassium levels.

Dietary intake of potassium-rich foods can impact blood potassium levels, especially in individuals with compromised kidney function. Excessive consumption of potassium supplements can also lead to hyperkalemia.

Hormonal imbalances, particularly those involving aldosterone, can significantly affect potassium levels. Aldosterone promotes potassium excretion, so conditions that alter aldosterone production or action can disrupt potassium balance.

Certain medications, such as diuretics, ACE inhibitors, and potassium-sparing diuretics, can influence potassium levels. It’s crucial for healthcare providers to consider a patient’s medication regimen when interpreting potassium test results.

The Potassium Blood Test Procedure

Understanding the potassium blood test procedure can help alleviate any concerns patients may have. How is a potassium blood test conducted?

The potassium blood test is a simple and routine procedure that involves drawing a small blood sample, typically from a vein in the arm. A healthcare professional will clean the area with an antiseptic and then insert a small needle to collect the blood sample.

Preparation for the Test

In most cases, no special preparation is required for a potassium blood test. However, it’s essential to inform your healthcare provider about any medications you’re taking, as some drugs can affect potassium levels. Your doctor may provide specific instructions if any preparations are necessary.

What to Expect During the Test

The blood draw process is usually quick and straightforward. You may feel a brief sting or pinch when the needle is inserted, but discomfort is typically minimal. The entire procedure often takes less than a few minutes.

Potential Risks and Side Effects

While the potassium blood test is generally safe, there are some minor risks associated with any blood draw:

• Slight bruising at the needle site
• Temporary discomfort
• In rare cases, infection at the puncture site
• Fainting (in individuals sensitive to blood draws)

These risks are minimal, and serious complications are extremely rare. If you experience prolonged bleeding, severe pain, or signs of infection after the test, contact your healthcare provider promptly.

Interpreting Potassium Blood Test Results

Interpreting potassium blood test results requires careful consideration of various factors. How do healthcare providers analyze these results?

When reviewing potassium blood test results, doctors consider the laboratory’s specific reference range, the patient’s age, overall health status, medical history, and any current medications. It’s important to note that a single abnormal result doesn’t necessarily indicate a problem; repeated tests may be necessary to confirm a persistent imbalance.

Understanding Borderline Results

Potassium levels just outside the normal range may not always require immediate treatment. In such cases, healthcare providers may recommend lifestyle changes, dietary modifications, or follow-up testing to monitor the situation closely.

When Further Testing May Be Necessary

If potassium levels are significantly abnormal or if symptoms of potassium imbalance are present, additional tests may be ordered. These might include:

• Electrocardiogram (ECG) to assess heart function
• Kidney function tests
• Hormone level tests, particularly for aldosterone
• Other electrolyte tests (sodium, calcium, magnesium)

These additional tests help healthcare providers determine the underlying cause of the potassium imbalance and develop an appropriate treatment plan.

Managing Potassium Levels: Treatment and Prevention

Maintaining healthy potassium levels is crucial for overall health and well-being. How can potassium imbalances be managed and prevented?

Treatment for potassium imbalances depends on the severity of the condition and its underlying cause. For mild cases, dietary changes may be sufficient. In more severe cases, medical interventions may be necessary.

Treating High Potassium Levels

Management of hyperkalemia may include:

• Dietary restrictions to limit potassium intake
• Medications to help remove excess potassium from the body
• Intravenous calcium to protect the heart from the effects of high potassium
• In severe cases, dialysis may be required

Treating Low Potassium Levels

Treatment for hypokalemia often involves:

• Oral or intravenous potassium supplements
• Addressing the underlying cause (e.g., treating diarrhea or vomiting)
• Adjusting medications that may be causing low potassium levels

Preventing Potassium Imbalances

Maintaining healthy potassium levels often involves lifestyle and dietary measures:

• Consuming a balanced diet rich in potassium-containing foods
• Staying hydrated
• Following medication regimens as prescribed
• Regular medical check-ups, especially for those with chronic conditions affecting potassium balance

For individuals with kidney problems or those taking certain medications, working closely with a healthcare provider to monitor and manage potassium levels is crucial.

The Role of Potassium in Overall Health

Understanding the broader implications of potassium balance is essential for appreciating its importance in overall health. How does potassium contribute to various bodily functions?

Potassium plays a vital role in numerous physiological processes beyond just fluid balance. Its proper regulation is crucial for maintaining optimal health and preventing various complications.

Cardiovascular Health

Potassium is essential for maintaining a healthy heart rhythm. It helps regulate the electrical activity of the heart, preventing arrhythmias and supporting overall cardiovascular function. Adequate potassium intake has been associated with lower blood pressure, potentially reducing the risk of stroke and heart disease.

Muscle Function

Proper potassium levels are crucial for muscle contraction and relaxation. This applies not only to skeletal muscles but also to smooth muscles in the digestive tract and other organs. Potassium imbalances can lead to muscle weakness, cramps, and in severe cases, paralysis.

Nerve Transmission

Potassium is involved in the transmission of nerve signals throughout the body. It helps maintain the electrical potential across cell membranes, which is essential for nerve cells to send and receive signals effectively.

Bone and Kidney Health

Emerging research suggests that adequate potassium intake may help maintain bone density, potentially reducing the risk of osteoporosis. Additionally, proper potassium balance is crucial for kidney function, as the kidneys play a primary role in regulating potassium levels in the body.

Metabolic Health

Potassium is involved in carbohydrate metabolism and helps in the storage of glucose as glycogen. It also plays a role in protein synthesis, making it important for overall metabolic health.

Given its wide-ranging effects on the body, maintaining proper potassium balance through diet, medication management, and regular monitoring is crucial for overall health and well-being. Regular potassium blood tests, especially for individuals at risk of imbalances, can help prevent complications and ensure optimal bodily function.

Potassium (K) in Blood Test

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Test Overview

A potassium test checks how much potassium is in the blood. Potassium is both an electrolyte and a mineral. It helps keep the water (the amount of fluid inside and outside the body’s cells) and electrolyte balance of the body. Potassium is also important in how nerves and muscles work.

Potassium levels often change with sodium levels. When sodium levels go up, potassium levels go down, and when sodium levels go down, potassium levels go up. Potassium levels are also affected by a hormone called aldosterone, which is made by the adrenal glands.

Potassium levels can be affected by how the kidneys are working, the blood pH, the amount of potassium you eat, the hormone levels in your body, severe vomiting, and taking certain medicines, such as diuretics and potassium supplements. Certain cancer treatments that destroy cancer cells can also make potassium levels high.

Many foods are rich in potassium, including bananas, orange juice, spinach, and potatoes. A balanced diet has enough potassium for the body’s needs. But if your potassium levels get low, it can take some time for your body to start holding on to potassium. In the meantime, potassium is still passed in the urine, so you may end up with very low levels of potassium in your body, which can be dangerous.

A potassium level that is too high or too low can be serious. Abnormal potassium levels may cause symptoms such as muscle cramps or weakness, nausea, diarrhea, frequent urination, dehydration, low blood pressure, confusion, irritability, paralysis, and changes in heart rhythm.

Other electrolytes, such as sodium, calcium, chloride, magnesium, and phosphate, may be checked in a blood sample at the same time as a blood test for potassium.

Why It Is Done

A blood test to check potassium is done to:

• Check levels in people being treated with medicines such as diuretics and for people having kidney dialysis.
• Check to see whether treatment for too low or too high potassium levels is working.
• Check people with high blood pressure who may have a problem with their kidneys or adrenal glands.
• Check the effects of extra nutrition (total parenteral nutrition [TPN]) on potassium levels.
• Check to see whether certain cancer treatments are causing too many cells to be destroyed (cell lysis). Cell lysis syndrome causes very high levels of some electrolytes, including potassium.

How To Prepare

In general, there’s nothing you have to do before this test, unless your doctor tells you to.

How It Is Done

A health professional uses a needle to take a blood sample, usually from the arm.

Watch

• Learning About Your Blood Test
• Learning About Blood Tests for Children

How It Feels

When a blood sample is taken, you may feel nothing at all from the needle. Or you might feel a quick sting or pinch.

Risks

There is very little chance of having a problem from this test. When a blood sample is taken, a small bruise may form at the site.

Results

Each lab has a different range for what’s normal. Your lab report should show the range that your lab uses for each test. The normal range is just a guide. Your doctor will also look at your results based on your age, health, and other factors. A value that isn’t in the normal range may still be normal for you.

Results are ready in 1 day.

Many conditions can affect potassium levels. Blood potassium levels also vary with age. Your doctor will talk with you about any abnormal results that may be related to your symptoms and past health.

High values

• High blood potassium levels may be caused by damage or injury to the kidneys. This prevents the kidneys from removing potassium from the blood normally.
• High blood potassium levels can also be caused by conditions that move potassium from the body’s cells into the blood. These conditions include severe burns, crushing injuries, heart attack, and diabetic ketoacidosis.
• Taking too many potassium supplements can also cause high levels of potassium in the blood.
• Too much acid (pH) in the blood makes potassium levels higher by causing the potassium in the body’s cells to “leak” out of cells and into the blood.
• Some medicines, such as aldosterone antagonists and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, can cause high potassium levels.

Low values

• Low blood potassium levels can be caused by high levels of aldosterone (hyperaldosteronism) made by the adrenal glands.
• Other conditions that can cause low blood potassium levels include severe burns, cystic fibrosis, alcohol use disorder, Cushing’s syndrome, dehydration, malnutrition, vomiting, diarrhea and certain kidney diseases, such as Bartter’s syndrome. Bartter’s syndrome is a condition characterized by enlargement of certain kidney cells. It is more common in children and may be linked to an abnormally short stature (dwarfism). The cause of Bartter’s syndrome is not fully known.
• Medicines, such as diuretics, are a common cause of low potassium levels.

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  Why It Is Done

Potassium Blood Test: Purpose, Procedure, and Results

Your potassium levels can indicate underlying health conditions like high blood pressure or kidney disease. A doctor may perform a potassium blood test as part of a routine physical.

A potassium test is used to measure the amount of potassium in your blood. Potassium is an electrolyte that’s essential for proper muscle and nerve function. Even minor increases or decreases in the amount of potassium in your blood can result in serious health problems.

Your doctor may order a potassium test if they suspect you have an electrolyte imbalance or as part of a routine checkup.

Potassium is an electrolyte. Electrolytes become ions when they’re in a solution, and they conduct electricity. Our cells and organs require electrolytes to function normally.

A potassium test is performed as a simple blood test and carries few risks or side effects. The blood sample drawn will be sent to a laboratory for analysis. Your doctor will review the results with you.

A potassium test is often performed as part of a basic metabolic panel, which is a group of chemical tests run on your blood serum.

Your doctor may order a potassium test during a routine physical or for a variety of other reasons, including:

• checking for or monitoring an electrolyte imbalance
• monitoring certain medications that affect potassium levels, particularly diuretics, heart medications, and high blood pressure medications
• diagnosing heart problems and high blood pressure
• diagnosing or monitoring kidney disease
• checking for metabolic acidosis (when the kidneys don’t remove enough acid from the body or when the body produces too much acid, as might happen in diabetes that’s not well-managed)
• diagnosing alkalosis, a condition in which the body fluids have excess alkali
• finding the cause of a paralysis attack

The test will help reveal whether your potassium level is normal.

Prior to the test, your doctor may want you to stop taking any medications that could affect the test results. Ask your doctor for specific instructions prior to your test day.

The potassium test is performed like other routine blood tests.

A site on your arm, usually the inside of your elbow or the back of your hand, will be cleaned with antiseptic. Your healthcare professional will wrap a band around your upper arm to create pressure so that your veins swell.

A needle will be inserted into your vein. You may feel a sting or the prick of the needle. Blood will then be collected into a tube. The band and the needle will then be removed and the site will be covered with a small bandage.

The test generally takes only a few minutes.

Risks and side effects of a potassium test are the same as for any routine blood test. In some cases, your healthcare professional may have trouble entering a suitable vein. In rare instances, people report:

• bleeding
• bruising
• lightheadedness
• fainting

Anytime the skin is broken, you also run a small risk for infection.

There are no special preparations needed before taking a blood potassium test. However, you may need to fast (not eat or drink) for a few hours before if you are having other tests done during your blood draw.

Talk to your healthcare provider for specific instructions for your case.

Your body needs potassium to function normally. It’s vital to the functioning of nerve and muscle cells.

A normal potassium level is between 3.6 and 5.2 millimoles per liter. It’s important to note that individual laboratories may use different values. For that reason, you should ask your doctor to interpret your specific results.

The amount of potassium in your blood is so small that tiny increases or decreases can cause serious problems.

Low potassium levels (hypokalemia)

Lower-than-normal levels of potassium can be due to:

• not enough potassium in your diet
• gastrointestinal disorders, chronic diarrhea, vomiting
• use of some diuretics
• excessive laxative use
• excessive sweating
• folic acid deficiency
• certain medications, such as corticosteroids, some antibiotics, and antifungals
• an overdose of acetaminophen
• diabetes, particularly after taking insulin
• chronic kidney disease
• hyperaldosteronism (when the adrenal gland releases too much of the hormone aldosterone)
• Cushing’s syndrome (when your body is exposed to high levels of the hormone cortisol or if you take certain steroid hormones)

High potassium levels (hyperkalemia)

A blood potassium level of 7. 0 millimoles per liter or higher can be life threatening.

Having higher-than-normal levels of potassium in your blood can be the result of a variety of conditions and circumstances. These include:

• having too much potassium in your diet or taking potassium supplements
• taking some medications, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), beta-blockers, ACE enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), and diuretics
• receiving a blood transfusion
• red blood cell destruction due to severe injury or burns
• tissue injury causing a breakdown of muscle fibers
• infection
• type 1 diabetes
• dehydration
• respiratory acidosis (when the lungs can’t get rid of carbon dioxide produced by the body, causing fluids to become too acidic)
• metabolic acidosis (when the body produces too much acid or the kidneys can’t remove enough acid from the body)
• kidney failure
• Addison’s disease (when the adrenal glands don’t produce enough hormones)
• hypoaldosteronism (a condition where there’s a deficiency or impaired function of the hormone aldosterone)

False results

False results of a potassium test can occur during the collection and processing of the blood sample.

For example, your potassium levels may rise if you relax and clench your fist while blood is being collected.

A delay in transporting the sample to the laboratory or shaking the sample may cause potassium to leak out of the cells and into the serum.

If your doctor suspects a false result, they may need to have you repeat the test.

You should be able to get the right amount of potassium from your diet. How much potassium you should take depends on your age, gender, and specific health conditions. Some excellent dietary sources of potassium are:

• swiss chard
• lima beans
• kidney beans
• sweet potatoes and white potatoes (especially the skins)
• spinach
• papaya
• pinto beans
• bananas
• lentils

A potassium test is a very common test used to check electrolyte levels. It can be ordered as part of a routine physical or to diagnose certain conditions.

Talk with your healthcare provider to determine if you might benefit from a potassium test.

Brief description of the blood test for potassium with a breakdown of the results and the reason for the increased and decreased values ​​of the level of potassium in the human body

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A blood test for potassium is a comprehensive examination method that determines the acid-base balance, evaluates the effectiveness of treatment, and also identifies many diseases

Preparation for the study:

• It is forbidden to smoke immediately before taking blood
• Avoid fatty, fried, spicy foods and alcohol from the diet the day before the examination.
• Do not take drugs, undergo FG or X-ray before the examination

Biomaterial type: venous blood

Synonyms (rus): Serum electrolytes

9002 1 Synonyms (eng): Electrolyte panel

Methods studies: inoselective electrodes

Units: mmol/l

Deadlines: 1 day

Why do you need a blood test for potassium?

Potassium is one of the body’s main electrolytes , which have the ability to conduct electrical charges, in addition, they maintain acidity and water balance in cells. Monitoring the level of potassium in the body is of great importance, as it allows you to identify even minor changes in this mineral compound, in which heart rhythm disturbances or other pathologies occur. Potassium enters the human body with food and then excreted by the kidneys.

A blood test for potassium is ordered by the attending physician or other specialist in the following conditions:

• cardiac arrhythmia;
• edema;
• general weakness;
• nausea;
• loss of consciousness.

With the help of the study of blood serum for electrolytes, diseases of the heart, kidneys, liver and many others are detected. A blood test is taken in the morning on an empty stomach from a vein using a syringe and tourniquet, after which it is examined by the method of ion-selective electrodes.

Explanation of the result of the analysis

Normally, the level of potassium in humans is from 3.5 to 5.1 mmol per liter. A decrease in the concentration of potassium below 3.05 mmol per liter can occur with impaired kidney function (called a decrease in potassium “hypokalemia”). In this case, there is difficulty in breathing, vomiting and nausea, muscle weakness, excretion of feces and urine involuntarily.

A sharp increase in potassium above 7.15 mmol per liter is observed with a strong loss of fluid (this condition is called “hyperkalemia”). In this case, a slowing of the pulse, a drop in pressure, or a violation of sensitivity may appear. Also, deviations from the norm can be with diabetes mellitus, muscle disease, disruption of the cardiovascular system. An abnormal amount of potassium in the blood can be in the presence of toxic substances in the body, for example: oxalates, glycolates or aspirin.

The result of the study may be affected by the use of drugs such as estrogens, acetazolamide, phenylbutazone. Against the background of their intake, potassium may increase, and the result of the examination will not be accurate. The concentration of potassium may decrease while taking bicarbonates, theophylline, furosemide and metazalon.

Biochemical analysis of blood – Biochemistry of blood in the laboratory Lab4U

What is the difference between a man and a woman? You will be surprised, but it is even in the approach to laboratory research. The experts of the Lab4U online laboratory have prepared an overview for you on how to take tests depending on your gender!

What are antibodies? And how to decipher the results of the analysis?

Why do men and women need regular laboratory screening? Because sometimes only an analysis can reveal a health problem. For example, the same infections can cause such different symptoms that it is not easy to suspect one pathogen. In men, pathogens may not manifest themselves at all, but for their wives they become very dangerous (a classic example is the human papillomavirus).
Therefore, men and women need regular examinations, with different diagnostic approaches. The same applies to hormonal studies: both men and women take tests for testosterone, but the norms of this hormone differ by more than 10 times. And even the classic basic studies: biochemical and complete blood counts in men and women have their own nuances …

Contents

• General tests: normal
• ESR: blood norm
• Leukocyte formula: test norms
• Platelets: general norms
• Biochemical analysis of blood in women and men

A complete blood count is the basis of any serious examination of the state of the body. Therefore, a general (or clinical) blood test is prescribed for almost all complaints and diseases by doctors of all profiles. It is included in the examination standards for medical examinations, urgent and planned hospitalizations. Unlike the general one, a biochemical blood test makes it possible to evaluate the functions of specific human organs, as well as the presence and quantitative parameters of the main trace elements and vitamins in the body. The general norms of analyzes for men and women are not the same, this must also be taken into account when interpreting.
We provide the norms of tests and a list of blood parameters, in the order in which they are usually indicated in the laboratory test form.

General tests: Norm

Erythrocytes, or red blood cells, are the main vehicle for oxygen to tissues and organs. In a healthy body, the amount of the main protein of erythrocytes, hemoglobin, varies from 13 to 18. It is this protein that attaches oxygen to itself. Deviations from the norm indicate a particular disease: a weakened immune system, a recent infection, or anemia. If a low level of hemoglobin is found in the body, this is a reason for further examination. An elevated level is extremely rare and, as a rule, indicates hematological diseases. If the rate of the content of red blood cells themselves is increased in the blood, then this may indicate pulmonary diseases, stressful situations, heart disease:

• The norm of erythrocytes in men and women is the same: 4.3-5.15 x 10 ¹² cells/l;
• The norm of hemoglobin in women is 120-140 g/l, while in men the norm of hemoglobin is slightly higher: 135-160 g/l.
• In women, hemoglobin may decrease during pregnancy, with heavy menstruation.

ESR: blood norm

The main role of IgG antibodies is the long-term protection of the body against most bacteria and viruses – although their production is slower, the response to an antigenic stimulus remains more stable than that of IgM class antibodies.

ESR means the erythrocyte sedimentation rate. This parameter is measured by laboratory assistants with the introduction of certain reagents.

The norm of ESR in women is up to 15 mm / h. In men, the rate is lower – up to 10 mm / h. Large indicators indicate the presence of an inflammatory process in the body. Despite the fact that ESR is a non-specific indicator, that is, it can indicate a whole range of diseases, it has been extremely popular and in demand for laboratory diagnostics for several decades.

Leukocyte formula: test norms

Leukocytes are white blood cells, they protect the body from viruses, bacteria, fungi, foreign agents and their own altered cells. Leukocytes are of several varieties: for example, monocytes are responsible for antifungal immunity (their elevated level can also indicate infectious mononucleosis), neutrophils – activate antibacterial immunity, lymphocytes – antiviral.

The number of leukocytes is not as constant as, for example, the number of red blood cells. The level of white blood cells varies depending on the state of the body, time of day, hormonal levels and other factors. It is best to take an analysis to determine the leukocyte formula in the morning on an empty stomach. You can drink only water before the analysis.

At Lab4U, you can take a complete blood count with leukocyte formula and ESR at any time convenient for you at the nearest medical center.

The quantitative and qualitative composition of lymphocytes allows a specialist to judge what the body is struggling with at the moment and suggest the dominant problem and the main cause of a particular condition. A general blood test may not contain a leukocyte formula, but if you want to know the state of your immunity, it is still better to do a general analysis with a leukocyte formula. As a rule, blood norms for women and men in terms of the number of leukocytes are the same.

However, before the start of the menstrual cycle in women, the allowable rate of leukocytes increases by 2 times to 20 x 10 ⁹ /l – instead of the usual rate of 10 ⁹ /l.

An excess of the number of leukocytes indicates the presence of an inflammatory process in the body; its localization can be detected during a more detailed examination of the body. A decrease in the number of white blood cells in both men and women can be caused by autoimmune diseases – for example, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune thyroiditis, as well as malaria or salmonellosis.

Platelets: general norms

Platelets are blood cells that are involved in the processes of its coagulation and prevent extensive blood loss.

The general norms of platelets in men and women suggest the content of these cells in the blood in an amount of two hundred to four hundred thousand in one microliter.

A lower number indicates insufficient blood clotting and may be caused by blood diseases. An elevated platelet count can indicate a range of diseases, from autoimmune pathologies to tuberculosis, enteritis, and colitis. Deviation from the norm of the content of platelets in one direction or another requires further detailed study of the blood coagulation system – coagulogram.

Blood chemistry for women and men

A biochemical blood test in women and men shows how fully certain organs function. It is by biochemical analysis that one can assume, for example, such diagnoses as kidney failure, diabetes mellitus or viral hepatitis. Decreased levels of total protein in the blood, along with increased levels of creatinine and urea, may indicate kidney disease. Excess or lack of glucose can indicate diabetes.

Deficiency is also observed during prolonged fasting. Excess bilirubin indicates liver problems. And an elevated level of total cholesterol is about the presence of a large amount of saturated fats in your menu or about thyroid diseases.

The norms of a biochemical blood test are common for both sexes:

• total protein — 63-87 g/l;
• urea – 3.4-8.6 mmol/l;
• creatinine – 15-75 µmol/l;
• total bilirubin – 8.49-20.58 µmol/l;
• ALT – up to 37 units;
• AST – up to 42 units.

Regular laboratory diagnostics can help you monitor your health and start preventing the most common diseases in time. But what if there is no medical examination program in the clinic? For your convenience, the Lab4U online laboratory has developed the Annual Medical Examination complex.

It includes more than 30 blood parameters that reflect the work of all body systems and allows you to detect diseases at the earliest possible time before the appearance of clinical signs.