Executive Health Reference Guide
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Executive Health Reference Guide 1 CLEVELAND CLINIC EXECUTIVE HEALTH PROGRAM General Health COMPLETE BLOOD COUNT B12 or folic acid, or excessive Calcium – Mineral found primarily smoking or alcohol use. A decreased in bones. May be elevated with bone Your complete blood count will level may be seen in iron deficiency. injury (fractures), cancers that spread provide insight into various aspects of to the bone and certain endocrine your health, with indicators including: Platelet Count – Platelets are blood abnormalities such as overactivity of products critical for normal clotting. the parathyroid glands. Low values Hemoglobin – The protein that carries Abnormal values (either high or low) occur with poor dietary intake, lack of oxygen to all body tissues, carried may be clues to an underlying blood vitamin D or kidney disorders. in red blood cells; low value may disorder. Platelets are also affected by indicate anemias or inherited blood certain medications, alcohol, infection, Phosphorus – Mineral related to disorders. liver disease and, in women, the bone activity and diet. Abnormalities menstrual cycle. can be seen in individuals with Hematocrit – A ratio (expressed as a gastrointestinal, renal, bone or percent) of red cells to whole blood; calcium disorders. reduced in anemias; increased in CHEMISTRY PROFILE chronic lung conditions. Magnesium – Mineral that activates Total Protein – Combination of enzyme systems. Can be abnormal White Blood Cell Count – May be albumin and globulin. Abnormal with alcohol abuse, diabetes, certain elevated in inflammation or infection, values may occur due to kidney, endocrine and kidney disorders, bowel and in smokers. When elevated, a bowel or liver diseases or malnu- disease and diuretic usage. more detailed analysis of specific trition. Proteins characteristic of types of white blood cells may be certain conditions, such as multiple Bilirubin, Total – The level of bile indicated. May be decreased with myeloma (bone marrow cancer), pigment in the blood. Elevated certain medications, viral illness or can be detected. Proteins can levels occur with liver disease or an in nonspecific fluctuations. be further characterized through accelerated breakdown of red blood electrophoresis (a lab test) of the cells (hemolysis). Slight increases MCV (Mean Corpuscular Volume), blood serum and urine. frequently occur in a benign condition, MCH (Mean Corpuscular called Gilbert’s syndrome, and are of Hemoglobin), MCHC (Mean Albumin – Blood protein no clinical significance. Corpuscular Hemoglobin manufactured by the liver, which Concentration – Measures the size makes up two-thirds of total protein. Uric Acid – Final breakdown product and hemoglobin content of red cells; Marked changes may be related to of nucleic acid metabolism. Elevated useful in evaluating subtypes of kidney, bowel or liver diseases or to most commonly with gout. Can be anemia. An increased level of MCV poor nutrition. elevated with malignancies, excessive may indicate deficiencies of vitamin 2 CLEVELAND CLINIC EXECUTIVE HEALTH PROGRAM GENERAL HEALTH, CONTINUED alcohol intake, kidney disorders, Glucose – Blood sugar level frequently and certain endocrine diseases. Mild insulin resistance syndrome, a high elevated in diabetes. Can also be evaluations of no clinical consequence protein diet and certain medications. influenced by diet (inadequate frequently occur with breakdown of fasting) and certain medications. A red blood cells (hemolysis) in the Alkaline Phosphatase – Enzyme in the single elevation, particularly of mild blood drawing process. blood related to liver or bone. Various degree, does not necessarily mean liver diseases in which bile ducts are that diabetes is present. Low levels, Chloride – Mineral important in blocked lead to an increase. Elevated called hypoglycemia, can be due to maintenance of electrolyte balance. levels also can be seen with certain excessive medications, or certain Low levels are seen after prolonged bone disorders. medical conditions (such as endocrine vomiting or excessive use of diuretics. disorders, liver disease or rare tumors) Mild increases are common and may GGT (Gamma-Glutamyltransferase) or a prolonged fasting state. not be due to any clinically significant – A liver enzyme that rises with high condition. sensitivity for liver disorders. It can Hemoglobin A1C (Glycosylated rise in response to excessive intake Hemoglobin) – A measure that CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) – A measure of alcohol and/or high cholesterol or reflects average blood sugar over of the bicarbonate buffer system in triglycerides, excess body weight and the preceding three months. Normal the plasma. Increased in conditions insulin resistance syndrome. values are 4.0 to 6.0 percent. Levels of alkalosis from excessive ingestion above 5.5 percent may indicate of antacids or prolonged vomiting. ALT (Alanine Aminotransferase)/ impaired glucose tolerance and Decreased in acidotic conditions such AST (Asparate Aminotranferase) – increased risk for diabetes. Ideal as chronic respiratory failure, diabetes Enzymes found in the liver and values for people already known to or kidney failure. muscle. Damage to these tissues may have diabetes are below 6.5 percent. increase values. Liver disease tends to Anion Gap – A calculation used by increase ALT relatively more than AST. BUN (Blood Urea Nitrogen)/ the physician to determine the likely Elevations of these enzymes need to Creatinine – Kidney function tests cause of excessive acid in body fluids be interpreted in the context of other that measure how well certain waste (acidosis). An increased anion gap liver function test results. AST also is products of metabolism are excreted is seen in acidosis from diabetes, found in muscle cells, including the from the body. BUN is frequently aspirin intoxication and kidney failure. heart, and may be elevated if these elevated with dehydration. Acidosis from diarrhea occurs with a tissues are damaged. normal anion gap. Sodium – Mineral and electrolyte LD or LDH (Lactate Dehydrogenase) that helps maintain fluid balance and Urinary Microalbumin – This test – Enzyme found in the blood cells, volume. Can be abnormal in kidney is a sensitive measure of protein in liver cells and muscle tissue, including disorders, certain endocrine diseases, the urine, which reflects leakage of heart muscle. Breakdown of red blood dehydration or overhydration. a small amount of protein from the cells or damage to liver or muscle kidneys. Presence of protein may be tissue may increase values. Mild Potassium – A mineral and electrolyte an early sign of kidney disease or elevations of no clinical consequences important in nerve impulse conduction damage from diabetes, high blood frequently occur with breakdown of and body fluid balance. Can be low pressure or atherosclerosis. red blood cells (hemolysis) in the with use of diuretic therapy, diarrhea blood drawing process. LD from and certain endocrine diseases. specific tissues (isoenzymes) can Increased with kidney disease, potas- be measured to determine the sium-sparing diuretics, certain other specific source. medications such as ACE inhibitors, CLEVELANDCLINIC.ORG/EXECHEALTH 3 GENERAL HEALTH, CONTINUED Iron/TIBC – Tests used to evaluate stops DNA synthesis and affects Pleural Thickening – Thickening of iron metabolism. In iron deficiency cell growth and repair. Vitamin B12 the lining that covers the lungs. anemia, iron levels are typically low deficiency may lead to memory loss, and TIBC (total iron binding capacity) and problems of the nervous system, Bone Mineral Densitometry – This is high. In iron overload states such anemia or skin changes. Strict test is used to predict your potential as hemochromotosis, iron levels are vegetarians, the elderly and people bone fracture risk. It is only one typically high. with inflammatory bowel disease are of several factors that predict risk, at an increased risk of deficiency. in addition to a history of previous Ferritin – A blood test to measure bone fractures, age, small body serum ferritin levels in your blood. Hepatitis C– A viral hepatitis that may and bone size, tendency to fall, and This blood test can show whether be chronic and produce no symptoms family history of early osteoporosis. there is too much or too little iron in for a long time. There is no vaccine for Although the T-score compares your your body. It can also be elevated by hepatitis C, but it can now be cured bone density to a 21-year-old female underlying inflammatory conditions with antiviral medication. A blood test considered to have peak bone mass at such as arthritis. for antibodies to hepatitis C is the that age, it is only an estimate of your best screening method. The screening possible bone fracture risk. A T-score OTHER LAB TESTS/SCREENINGS blood test is recommended for all less than -1.0 suggests possible people born between 1945 and 1965 thinning of the bone, often called TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) because their rate of hepatitis C is osteopenia, while a score of -2.5 or – Hormone secreted by the pituitary much higher than other age groups. If less suggests an even lower degree gland that regulates the production of the antibody test is positive, additional of bone density in the osteoporosis thyroid hormones. When increased, testing is advised to detect whether range, which is associated with a it may indicate under-function of the the virus itself is present in the blood. possibly higher risk of bone fractures. thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) or The bone mineral densitometry failing