Different Kinds of Blood Tests

Your doctor may order tests to check the levels of different substances in your blood. While blood tests alone cannot diagnose many illnesses, they give an overall snapshot of your health, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Different types of common blood tests are listed below.

Complete Blood Count

The complete blood count, or CBC, is actually a number of different tests that look at your white blood cell count, red blood cell count, hemoglobin levels, platelet count and other key blood components.

Blood Chemistry Tests

These tests check for electrolytes by measuring the levels of sodium, potassium, chloride and bicarbonate in your body. Minerals like these help your body's organs to function properly.

Blood Enzyme Tests

Blood enzyme tests can detect injury to the heart by measuring the creatine levels. They can also measure levels of cardiac muscle proteins. If the levels are higher than normal, this may confirm that you've had a heart attack.

Heart Disease Risk

A lipoprotein panel measures the cholesterol in your blood. Your results will show your total cholesterol count, your LDL, HDL and triglycerides. Abnormal results may mean you have an increased risk of heart disease.

PSA Test

For men only, the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test measures proteins produced by the prostate. Elevated levels can indicate cancer, enlargement or inflammation of this gland.

Resources

• 10 Most Important Blood Tests