What should full blood count be

Genetic screening can also be used to check if someone carries a particular gene that increases their risk of developing a genetic condition. For example, if your brother or sister developed a genetic condition in later life, such as Huntington's disease , you may want to find out whether there is a risk that you could also develop the condition.

Read more about genetic testing. When the liver is damaged, it releases substances called enzymes into the blood and levels of proteins produced by the liver begin to drop. By measuring the levels of these enzymes and proteins, it's possible to build up a picture of how well the liver is functioning. This can help to diagnose certain liver conditions, including hepatitis , cirrhosis liver scarring , and alcohol-related liver disease.

This test is used to test your blood for levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone TSH , and, where needed, thyroxine and triiodothyronine thyroid hormones. If you have low or high levels of these hormones, it could mean you have a thyroid condition such as an underactive thyroid or overactive thyroid.

Page last reviewed: 26 October Next review due: 26 October Examples - Blood tests Contents Overview Examples. This page describes some common blood tests. Blood cholesterol test Cholesterol is a fatty substance mostly created by the liver from the fatty foods in your diet and is vital for the normal functioning of the body.

Blood culture This involves taking a small sample of blood from a vein in your arm and from 1 or more other parts of your body. At least 2 samples are usually needed. Blood gases test A blood gases sample is taken from an artery, usually at the wrist.

A pH imbalance can be caused by: problems with your respiratory system, such as pneumonia or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD problems affecting your metabolism the chemical reactions used by the body to break down food into energy , such as diabetes, kidney failure or persistent vomiting Read more about blood gas tests on Lab Tests Online UK. Blood glucose blood sugar tests A number of tests can be used to diagnose and monitor diabetes by checking the level of sugar glucose in the blood.

These include the: fasting glucose test — where the level of glucose in your blood is checked after fasting not eating or drinking anything other than water for at least 8 hours glucose tolerance test — where the level of glucose in your blood is checked after fasting, and again 2 hours later after being given a glucose drink HbA1C test — a test done at your GP surgery or hospital to check your average blood sugar level over the past 3 months Blood glucose test kits may be available to use at home.

Blood typing This is done before donating blood or having a blood transfusion , to check what your blood group is. Cancer blood tests A number of blood tests can be carried out to help diagnose certain cancers or check if you're at an increased risk of developing a particular type of cancer.

These include tests for: prostate-specific antigen PSA — this can help diagnose prostate cancer , although it can also detect other problems such as an enlarged prostate or prostatitis CA protein — a protein called CA can indicate ovarian cancer , although it can also be a sign of other things such as pregnancy or pelvic inflammatory disease PID BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes — certain versions of these genes can greatly increase a woman's chance of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer; this test may be carried out if these types of cancer run in your family Chromosome testing karyotyping This is a test to examine bundles of genetic material called chromosomes.

Chromosome testing can be used: to help diagnose disorders of sex development DSDs , such as androgen insensitivity syndrome for couples who have experienced repeated miscarriages , to see if a chromosomal problem could be responsible Coagulation tests A coagulation test may be used to see if your blood clots in the normal way. C-reactive protein CRP test This is another test used to help diagnose conditions that cause inflammation. Electrolyte test Electrolytes are minerals found in the body, including sodium, potassium and chloride, that perform jobs such as maintaining a healthy water balance in your body.

Blood films may be inspected to confirm and interpret abnormalities identified by the cell counter, or to look for certain specific haematological abnormalities. Grossly abnormal FBC results and abnormal blood films will be phoned through to the requestor. There is no need to request a blood film to obtain a differential white count.

It is, however, important that clinical details are provided to allow the laboratory to decide whether a blood film, in addition to the automated analysis, is required. Under some circumstances a differential is not routinely performed, e. A full blood count test looks at the number, types and sizes of different cells in your blood, including:. It also measures haemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen around the body and is found in red blood cells.

A full blood count is a very common test used to screen for, help diagnose, and monitor a variety of conditions. It can be used as part of routine medical testing, or to examine specific issues such as:. There are many medical conditions that can affect the full blood count. Blood cells can also be affected by some medications and some vitamin or mineral deficiencies. Many conditions change the numbers and proportions of various blood cell types in your blood.

These changes can provide a great deal of information about your health. Here are some examples:. There is a wide range of conditions and medicines that can affect the cells in your blood, so it is best to discuss your test results with your doctor. Video provided by Lab Tests Online. See Lab Tests Online for more information about a full blood count. Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

A full blood count FBC is a common blood test that measures the number and status of different blood cells, such as red cells, white cells and platelets.

Read more on myDr website. Blood tests Blood tests can identify a range of issues in your body that will help your doctor diagnose any conditions you may or may not have. Read more on Leukaemia Foundation website. The MPL mutation test may be used, along with other tests such as erythropoietin, to help diagnose bone marrow disorders that lead to overproduction of blood cells. Read more on Australian Red Cross Lifeblood website. Clozapine is the most effective antipsychotic, but is reserved for people with schizophrenia who have not adequately responded to two other antipsychotics.

Read more on Australian Prescriber website. Coeliac disease is a chronic autoimmune condition affecting about 1 in 70 Australians. It is characterised by an abnormal immune response to gluten, a protein that is found in wheat, rye, oats, triticale and barley.