Blood Tests :
U&E:
This means "Urea and electrolytes". This test measures the functioning of your kidneys and the level of various salts in the body. The salts can become low if you take a diuretic ("water tablet") and we usually perform this test on an annual basis on patients who are taking this medication. This test may also highlight dehydration after diarrhea, illness or vomiting. It may also give us clues as to how well your kidneys are working.
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LFT (APT):
This means "Liver Function Test". This test measures various chemicals involved in liver and gall bladder disease, as well as bone metabolism. This test can become abnormal if you take certain types of medication. These are checked periodically if you are on Metformin or one of the Glitazones for blood sugar control, of if you are on a ‘Statin’ tablet for high cholesterol, to make sure you can continue to take these tablets.
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Glucose:
This is a test of the level of a sugar called "glucose" in the blood. If the level of glucose in the blood is high, it can be a sign of diabetes. However, if you have just had food or a sweet drink, the level may go up. For this reason, we usually advise having this test on an empty stomach (i.e. having not had anything to eat since the evening before). The symptoms of diabetes may include thirst, passing lots of urine, weight loss and tiredness. Diabetes that comes on in middle age can be hereditary. You will be at a higher risk of developing the disease if you are middle aged, overweight and have blood relatives with diabetes that started in middle age.
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HbA1c:
This tests forms one of the batteries of standard tests performed before Diabetic Clinic. It tells us the average blood glucose in the preceding weeks before the blood was taken.
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TFT:
This means "Thyroid function test". This measures the activity of the thyroid gland and the response to thyroid hormone replacement in people who are deficient in the hormone. The thyroid gland lies at the front of the neck. It may become "over" or "under" active. If you have an under active gland, you will need to take thyroid hormone replacement - but the dose required will be different for different people. This test tells us whether the dose needs to be changed but we cannot tell until you have been taking a particular dose of Thyroxin (thyroid hormone) for at least 6 weeks.
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Lipids:
This is a check of the blood fats. There are 2 main types of fat that we measure and they are called "Cholesterol" and "Triglycerides". With time, these fats may become deposited on the walls of the blood vessels so that they become narrower. It's a bit like the build up of lime-scale on your kettle! Unfortunately, this process can lead to many diseases including heart attacks, angina and strokes. If the levels of lipids are high, this process may occur at an early age. The test is performed on an empty stomach. The Doctor or nurse will be able to advise you whether you need to follow a diet or start tablets to lower the blood lipids if they are high.
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FBC:
This means "Full Blood Count". This test can measure a number of different elements in the blood. It can measure your "haemoglobin". This is the chemical that gives your blood its red colour. These are checked periodically if you are on Metformin.