If you’ve ever wondered why your doctor asks you to do a blood test or provide a urine sample at your annual checkup even if you’re feeling perfectly fine, that’s exactly the point. Lab test results can help detect how your body processes are functioning and if there’s anything that might indicate the presence or beginning of disease, even if you don’t have any outward medical symptoms.
“Some types of conditions that may go unrecognized without doing lab tests include kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes, prediabetes, and high cholesterol,” said Sydney Le Guyader, MD, an internal medicine physician at Intermountain Health based in the Salt Lake City area.
According to medical experts, your blood is carrying countless messages about how your organs are functioning, how your metabolism is running, and whether any problems are emerging. Your lab test results can be an early warning system for your health.
One of the roles of primary care providers is to help you understand and interpret the details of your lab test results. According to Dr. Le Guyader, some abnormalities are more concerning than others, so it’s important to talk to your trusted provider about your lab results.
Lab tests are typically part of your yearly physical. Your primary care provider will consider your health history, family history, and current symptoms to determine what lab tests are needed for you specifically.
“Lab tests can be an important tool at any age. Even people in their 20s can benefit from cholesterol screening. Depending on what type of lab test is ordered, your provider may recommend a urine sample, a finger prick of blood, or a blood draw through a vein,” said Dr. Le Guyader.
“Lab tests provide a snapshot of what’s going on in your body, like checking your kidney function, cholesterol levels, or blood sugar levels. There are lots of conditions where the diagnosis is primarily made based on lab test results. For some conditions, you may or may not have symptoms,” she added.
According to Dr. Le Guyader, one of the most important lab tests to understand is the A1c hemoglobin test, because pre-diabetes is very common.
“A healthy A1c range is under 5.7. If your levels are more than 5.7, you could be in prediabetes or diabetes range. It’s also good to know your cholesterol levels,” she said.
“It’s important to have a long-term relationship with your primary care provider. That’s when lab tests are most meaningful, when we can monitor your health and look at the results over a course of years,” said Dr. Le Guyader.
Lab tests help providers know the best course of treatment or lifestyle changes that could help your health condition not get worse.
“The power of early detection is it can help prevent bigger health problems down the road,” she added.
If you manage a condition like high blood pressure or diabetes, lab tests are even more important. They help your care team see how well your treatment is working. People with multiple chronic conditions may want to see an internal medicine physician.
“Internal medicine physicians are primary care doctors. What sets us apart, is we see mostly adults, and we have more experience managing more complex medical problems,” said Dr. Le Guyader
Getting routine lab work done is one of the simplest, most cost-effective investments you can make in your long-term health. It takes just a few minutes, but the insights it provides can guide important decisions about your care for years to come.
To find a primary care or internal medicine provider or to make an appointment for a yearly checkup visit intermountainhealth.org
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